Happy National Frappé Day 2020!

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It seems like we have ‘national days’ for all sorts of things so why not a National Frappé Day 2020? Yes, it is a ‘real thing’ and October 7 every year is reserved for our National Frappé Day. Let us learn more about this drink and why it may deserve a ‘national day’.

What is a Frappé?

The traditional (Greek recipe) frappé (pronounced frap-pay and not to be confused with the word frape) was instant coffee blended with water and sugar to create a foamy liquid. This was then added over ice cubes in a glass.

More recently a frappé is made from a blend of espresso coffee, milk (or ice-cream), water, and various flavors and toppings. 

A frappé is different from an iced coffee, milkshake, smoothie, or slushy in that the coffee and water are usually shaken or blended to first create the foamy coffee liquid. 

The word frappé is from the French verb ‘frapper’ which means to ‘hit’. This refers to ‘hitting’ the coffee with ice. How does a unique coffee drink invented by a Greek have a French name? Well, the Greek word for frappé is Φραπέ and this is a ‘descendent’ of the French word frappé. The word is also sometimes spelled as frappe without the accented é.

frappe no milk
Frappé with no milk.
Source: philleb from Wikipedia

Shaken not stirred!

You have probably heard of the phrase ‘shaken not stirred’. Of course, this is the phrase made famous by Ian Fleming’s fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond and describes Bond’s preference for the preparation of his vodka/gin martini cocktail.

Why shake a frappe rather than stir it? Shaking the coffee-water-sugar, or coffee-water-milk-sugar, mixture creates an emulsion and a thick foam.

However, there isn’t really a strict requirement for ‘shaking a frappe’. The important thing is to create the emulsion and thick foam. This can also be done by rapidly beating the mixture with a spoon, a milk frother or even a blender. Some recommendations are as follows…

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Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Frappe Variations

There are many variations of frappé and not all contain coffee. Additional flavors can be added such as caramel and vanilla. A frappé can also be topped with cream, chocolate flakes, powdered coffee, and other toppings (although this is more of a ‘Frappuccino’ style). 

Flavored syrups may be used to replace coffee as the ‘base’ taste for the drink.

Non-dairy versions of the frappé (the original frappe did not have milk) are also available which substitute milk for another ‘milk’ such as almond, coconut, and soy (these are definitely NOT milk although they are labeled as such). 

Chocolate Frappé

A chocolate frappe consists of the following ingredients…

  • Whole milk
  • Espresso Coffee or Syrup
  • Ice
  • Chocolate sauce
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Vanilla
  • Cocoa powder
  • Whipped Cream

Vanilla Frappé

  • Milk
  • Espresso Coffee
  • Ice
  • Vanilla sauce
  • Caramel toppings
  • Vanilla powder
  • Whipped Cream

Caramel Frappé

  • Milk
  • Espresso Coffee
  • Ice
  • Caramel sauce
  • Toffee toppings
  • Cocoa powder
  • Whipped Cream

Strawberry Frappé

A strawberry frappe does not usually contain coffee.

  • Milk
  • Ice
  • Stawberry syrup
  • Strawberry toppings
  • Vanilla powder
  • Whipped Cream

Tea Frappé

  • Milk
  • Black Tea, Green Tea, White Tea, or Syrup
  • Ice
  • Green sauce (to create green color)
  • Various toppings
  • Whipped Cream

What is the difference between a Frappe and Frapuccino?

A frappe and a frappuccino are very similar in the way they are made and the ingredients they contain.

However, a Frappuccino is a trademarked brand of the Starbucks Corporation for a line of highly-sweetened iced, blended coffee drinks.

A frappe is what you would make at home whilst a Frappuccino is what you would have at a Starbucks cafe.

Please read our related post – Spooky Witch Brew Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat Recipe).

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