Hmmm, perhaps we need a positive adjective in there before ‘things’. Because really, you can do just about anything with instant coffee. You could scatter it across your bed. You could sprinkle it into your ear. You could try to juggle with three single granules…
But today, we’re talking about some smart, inventive uses for the stuff.
Because whilst it’s a joy to sit back and enjoy a cup of steaming coffee after spending a few hours working non-stop, if we’re being honest, instant coffee hasn’t always our favourite cup of Joe.
However, in the last few years, the instant coffee game has been upgraded, with brands recognising the growing demand for a good cup of coffee on the go. So good in fact, that we’re even using powdered coffee in a whole host of unconventional ways. Of course, this includes cooking with coffee (which works great!).
With that in mind, here are 7 things you can do with instant coffee other than drink it.
USE IT IN DESSERTS
Intriguingly, many top chefs favour instant coffee over the freshly brewed stuff in their sweet treats, as it packs an easily quantifiable dose of concentrated flavour and doesn’t mess with the liquid to solid ratio of the dessert.
But if you are going to eat it, you’re going to need to buy the best instant coffee around. The burnt tasting, highly synthetic stuff just won’t do here.
These recipes by celebrated chef Tom Aikens elevate instant coffee to a fine art. He uses it in his panna cotta, coffee ice cream, coffee jelly and even dusted over his coffee brulee.
We’re also fond of using it to make instant coffee popsicles. Simply mix your instant coffee with some hot water to ensure that the coffee crystals are melted and blended before you add room temperature or cold water. Pour the coffee into popsicle moulds and freeze.
DRY RUBS AND MARINADES
If you haven’t done so, give instant coffee a try when you’re marinating meat. Make some instant coffee and use it as part of your marinade, bringing depth of flavour and an earthy nuance to your meat dishes. Simply mix a cup of the stuff with a little olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, black pepper and thyme, and leave to penetrate for a couple of hours.
Or, you can add instant coffee to your favourite dry rub mixture. The instant coffee will help with achieving that much-sought-after crust on your steak or chop, and help the Maillard reaction – the complex chemical shift in grilled and roasted foods that brings heaps of flavour – to take place. It also acts as a natural tenderiser.
SAUCES
Yep, it seems like just about everyone’s secret ingredient to their ‘famous chilli’ is a small square of dark chocolate. Well, adding a little instant coffee to your sauces acts in a similar way, enrichening and deepening its flavour.
In fact, a few years ago, Sainsbury’s ran a whole ad campaign encouraging shoppers to add instant coffee to their bolognese. This #littletwist may (no, will) have offended the pasta purists, but the logic is there; sales of both instant coffee and jarred bolognese sauce increased after the ads aired.
Oh, you thought we meant logic in terms of flavour rather than sales? Nope, there is no logic there. Although, Heston Blumenthal did extol the virtues of adding a sprinkle of instant coffee to your Risotto alla Milanese, after seeing a Michelin-starred Italian chef doing it. Now we’re just confused.
Do what you like.
HAIR TREATMENT
If you want to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss, some experts believe that using instant coffee as a home hair treatment solution might help.
Depending on who you believe, you can either brew up a cup and spritz it onto your hair when it’s already wet, leave for twenty minutes then wash off. Or, you can use the instant coffee raw and unbrewed, massaging it into a wet scalp and luxuriating in its exfoliating properties. Remember to wash it all out afterwards, of course.
EXFOLIATION
Speaking of which, exfoliation is a crucial step in many people’s skincare regime, and, you guessed it, can be done with instant coffee.
Daily exfoliation removes the older, dead cell on the skin’s outermost layer, improving both its texture and colour and leaving your skin looking radiant.
It’s simple to make a DIY coffee scrub at home; you just need some instant coffee, brown sugar and some avocado oil or refined coconut oil (all of the organic variety, of course) and then mix to the desired consistency. If you have oily, acne prone skin, use less oil and add some honey, which has antibacterial properties, or replace with lemon.
If you have sensitive skin, this one’s probably not for you.
CAT REPELLENT
Cats may be cute, but if they are not your cats, they can be a problem, disturbing your plants, doing their business in your yard, and scattering rubbish about the place. But did you know that you can get rid of stray cats by mixing instant coffee with dirt and soil. Cats hate the strong smell of coffee and will avoid visiting your garden if you sprinkle it around.
INSTANT COFFEE FOR YOUR PLANTS
We’re actually kidding with this one. It’s one of the most common gardening tips around – simply apply instant coffee to your droopy plants and it will instantly perk them up. Rumour has it that it’s because of the antioxidants and nutrients found in instant coffee, but we’re afraid this is simply an old wives’ tale. Don’t do it!
Instead, read these 7 simple steps to keep your houseplants alive for longer.
If you’re going to stick to drinking the stuff, check out our article on 6 of the best summer coffees, IDEAL for a caffeine hit when the weather’s hot, here.