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Café de higo
Fig and grain coffee
Café de higo: caffeine-free Chilean fig and grain coffee
In the farmhouses of central Chile, in the Maule and O'Higgins valleys, people have long drunk café de higo: a dark, caffeine-free "coffee" made from dried figs roasted with grains such as barley and wheat, then ground. It's mellow, fruity and slightly caramel-like, and many Chileans still prefer it with milk at breakfast. The fig granules are sold in Chilean and Latin grocers. The common mistake is brewing it like instant coffee, with a quick stir; it's a ground blend, so simmer it briefly and strain. It contains grains, so it is not gluten free. Chef's tip: a strip of orange peel in the pan brings out the fig flavour.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 strip orange peel (optional)
- 2 tsp sugaror to taste
- ¾ cup oat milkwarmed
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 3 tbsp ground fig coffee (café de higo), 1 ¾ cups water and 1 strip orange peel in a small pan and bring to the boil.
3 minStep 2: Simmer gently for 4 minutes, then take off the heat and let it settle for 1 minute.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does café de higo take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of oat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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