Cream soda is a sweet, carbonated drink that generally contains a vanilla flavor. You can easily find this drink in the nearest supermarkets with various brands and flavors. The version sold in supermarkets tastes really good. But it turns out, cream soda that is no less delicious you can make yourself at home. This simple version or homemade version is easy to make and certainly more healthy because it is preservative free. Interested in trying it?
Ingredients
Simple Cream Soda Recipe
- 400 gr powdered sugar
- 240 ml water
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tbsp. (15 ml) vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- tsp. lemon juice or cream of tartar
Homemade Cream Soda Recipe
- 50-66 gr powdered sugar + 2 tsp. sugar
- 500 ml water
- -1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/16 tsp. (0.3 ml) brewer's yeast
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making Simple Cream Soda
Step 1. Boil sugar and water in a saucepan
Boil 400 grams of powdered sugar and 240 ml of water, stir well until the sugar dissolves.
Step 2. Add the vanilla
For the best taste, scrape the contents of one vanilla bean, then mix well. Also add the empty vanilla stick to strengthen the taste. If it's hard to find vanilla sticks, you can substitute 1 tbsp. vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
Not all types of vanilla extract produce the same taste when mixed into cold drinks. The easiest way to get good quality vanilla extract is to buy it at TBK (Toko Bahan Kue). But you have to be careful, because generally vanilla extract sold in the market contains alcohol. If you avoid using alcohol in food or drinks, don't forget to check before buying. Avoid using vanilla powder, as it tends to be bitter if you use too much
Step 3. Add lemon juice or cream of tartar
Add tsp. lemon juice or cream of tartar to the sugar water solution. In addition to functioning as a natural preservative, the addition of lemon or cream of tartar will also form inverted sugar which makes the taste sweeter. These ingredients belong to an ancient recipe because they were used at least as far back as 1852, and perhaps the use of cream of tartar is what gave this drink the name cream soda. However, some types of soda that are produced in a modern way also still use these ingredients, so the resulting taste will not be foreign to your taste buds.
The fructose content in inverted sugar is believed to be harmful to people with certain medical history. Therefore, before consuming cream soda, you should first consult your diabetes potential with your doctor
Step 4. Let the solution sit for 5-10 minutes
Heat the solution over medium heat, then let the solution sit. If the solution looks almost overflowing, reduce the heat. Use a thermometer to check the temperature. The solution is ready to use when it reaches 132ºC/270ºF, or when it has thickened to a syrupy consistency, has bubbles on the surface, and turns dark brown in color.
- If you don't have a thermometer, turn off the heat while the syrup is still light brown to prevent it from burning. The lighter the syrup you make, the smoother the caramel will be.
- The temperature of the sugar syrup is very hot. Always be careful and do not cook near children.
Step 5. Cool the syrup for 5 minutes
Turn off the pan, wait until the temperature of the syrup decreases.
Step 6. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature
Allow the syrup to absorb the vanilla aroma to enhance the aroma and taste of your soda.
Step 7. Mix the syrup with sparkling water and ice cubes
When you want to drink, pour the syrup into a glass of sparkling water and ice cubes. First, try mixing 1-2 tbsp. syrup into 360 ml of water. Taste the taste, adjust to your taste. One of the advantages of making your own cream soda is that you can adjust the sweetness to your liking!
- If using vanilla sticks, remove the stems. You can strain the syrup first if you don't like the texture of the vanilla beans in your drink. (Try not to sift through it first - a lot of people don't mind the texture).
- Leftover syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
Step 8. Add cream or ice cream (to taste)
Most cream sodas don't actually have cream in them. But adding a spoonful of cream or half a spoonful of cream and half a scoop of ice cream can make it taste and texture better. Add a spoonful of vanilla ice cream if you want to serve it as a dessert.
Since soda is acidic, there is a chance that the cream you add will thicken and be difficult to mix with the solution. To prevent this, pour slowly and use cold water in the solution. It is better to use products that are low in fat
Method 2 of 2: Making Homemade Cream Soda
Step 1. Put the sugar in a sterilized bottle
Pour 50-66 grams of powdered sugar into a 500 ml bottle that has been sterilized. In this recipe, the sugar and yeast mixture will be used to make your own homemade soda.
- Use plastic bottles to reduce the hazard in the event of an explosion. When compared to glass bottles, plastic bottles are less strong, but much safer if they explode. In contrast, glass bottles sold for home brewing are less likely to explode, but much more dangerous.
- The recipe listed above is suitable for beginners, because the portion of soda produced is not too much. If you have found the right dose, you can make it again in large portions.
Step 2. Add the vanilla extract
Pour -1 tbsp. vanilla extract into a bottle. Adjust the dose according to how strong you want it to be.
Step 3. Heat the water in the pot to 35-40ºC/95-105ºF
The temperature must be just right, as water that is too cold will not activate the yeast. On the other hand, water that is too hot can actually kill the yeast.
Step 4. Activate brewer's yeast and put it in the bottle
Mix a pinch of yeast (about 1/16 tsp./0.3 ml) with a little warm water and 2 tsp. sugar in a closed container. Let stand for 6-10 minutes, or until the yeast solution is foamy and the characteristic aroma begins to emanate. Put the yeast solution into the bottle using the help of a funnel.
- It's best not to use baker's yeast because it can spoil the taste and risk excessive carbonation.
- If you don't activate the yeast, your soda will take longer to carbonate.
Step 5. Add water and shake your bottle
Pour warm water into the bottle. Do not overfill the bottle, leave at least 2.5-5 cm of space. Close the bottle tightly, shake until all the ingredients in it are well mixed.
Step 6. Allow the soda to ferment at room temperature
Leave the bottle in a warm place (approximately 20–25ºC/68–77ºF and airtight. Check the condition of the soda once or twice a day. The soda is ready to drink if the bottle feels hard when squeezed, approximately after 12-72 hours of fermentation. If the yeast is not activated first, this process will take at least 48 hours.
Leaving soda for too long at room temperature can cause the bottle to explode under too much pressure. This possibility is even greater if the soda is left in a high temperature room or if you use aged yeast
Step 7. Put it in the refrigerator
Store the bottle in the refrigerator at a temperature below 5ºC/40ºF for 24-48 hours to stop the fermentation process. Place it in the most stable part of the refrigerator (at the back of the refrigerator, away from the door). Do not tamper with the bottle until it is time to remove it from the refrigerator.
Step 8. Serve the soda
Gently remove the bottle so that the sediment at the bottom does not mix again. Pour into the container you have prepared, strain the sediment. If it's not filtered, your soda will taste like yeast and lose flavor.
Step 9. Serve with ice cream (to taste)
You can drink it as is, or serve it with ice cream for dessert.
Tips
- Use cooking oil to remove any leftover labels from your soda bottles.
- If you don't have a filter, use a tofu wrap or a cotton t-shirt to filter out the soda.
- Experiment with the amount of sugar or vanilla extract you use until the taste is really to your liking.
- If your soda tastes like yeast, add a little vanilla extract to improve the taste.
- You can replace half the sugar with a common sugar substitute. But remember, don't replace it entirely. For a simple version, using real sugar turned into caramel will further enrich the taste of your soda. For the homemade version, real sugar is also needed to become yeast food.
Warning
- It is not recommended to use glass bottles because the pressure inside the bottle is very difficult to detect during the fermentation process. Just like plastic bottles, glass bottles can explode. The difference is, the explosion of a glass bottle is much more dangerous.
- You can replace some of the sugar with artificial sweeteners. But don't replace it entirely, because sugar is needed for the fermentation and carbonation process.
- Do not immediately put the bottle in a very cold place after the fermentation process is complete, because the carbonation process will not be optimal.
- If the yeast fermentation process is too short, carbonic acid will not be formed. On the other hand, if the process takes too long (especially if the temperature is very high), the bottle may explode. This can be prevented by placing the bottle in a low temperature place after the fermentation process is complete.
- Generally, soda contains a small amount of ethyl alcohol (about 0.35-0.5%) due to the fermentation process. This process also produces carbonic acid compounds that are useful for producing soda bubbles. The longer the fermentation process, the higher the alcohol content. Please note, some countries (including Indonesia) have laws that regulate the production and consumption of alcohol.
