Stop making regular coffee in the morning — add this extra ingredient

Fruity coffee is everywhere right now (Picture: Robertson Buckhaven) Do me a favour and take a look at your fruit bowl. Ignore the lemons, they’ve already had their moment. I’m more interested in the banana that’s turning brown underneath everything else. If you’ve been tempted to make banana bread, but can’t be bothered, there’s something else you should consider using that banana for. According to TikTok, you should try adding it to your morning coffee. Yes, banana coffee is hot right now – in every way apart from temperature, because it’s being served iced. Here’s everything you need to know about it… Banana coffee is having a major moment (Picture: Shutterstock / Pawel Michalowski) What is banana coffee? First of all, this trend isn’t quite as new as social media would have us believe. The current viral moment owes a sizeable debt to South Korea, where banana-flavoured milk has been popular for decades. The iconic Binggrae Banana Flavoured Milk launched in 1974, a time when bananas were an expensive luxury in Korea. From there, banana milk moved into coffee, helped by the Korean convenience-store custom of buying a cup of ice and creating your own drink from whatever takes your fancy. But it’s such an obvious fusion, I’m almost annoyed I didn’t think of it myself. Coffee, ice, banana, milk. Done. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Social media has taken it a step further, obviously. Banana lattes, cold brews and coffee topped with banana cream have been popping up all over TikTok and Instagram. And it’s become enough of a thing for drink brands and cafés to get involved too – Starbucks made a Caramelised Banana Velvet Latte earlier this year, and Banana Bread Matcha is having a moment at Blank Street. And the great thing is, you don’t need banana syrup, banana milk, or anything else with the word ‘banana’ written on the packaging to make one. You can just use, um, a banana. Would you try banana coffee? Sign up to Metro's The Slice newsletter for your guide to what's on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways. How to make an iced banana coffee It’s ridiculously simple to make, all you’ll need is: ½ ripe banana, peeled, frozen and chopped 150ml milk 1 double espresso shot – cooled Ice cubes – medium sized Pinch of cinnamon – optional (add in at the blender stage) Make a double espresso and leave it to cool. Whizz the frozen banana and milk until it’s completely smooth, thick and frothy. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour over the home-made banana milk. Slowly pour your shot of double espresso over the top (or put it in a shot glass an tip it in for added drama). The slow pour should give you those aesthetically pleasing layers you’re probably seeing on social media. Give everything a good stir before drinking and enjoy. I gave the trend a try (Picture: Robertson Buckhaven) Is it actually any good? While a lot of the ‘viral’ drinks I make are a novelty, never to be repeated, I think that with a bit of tweaking, this one might actually stick, as it’s a neat way of using up leftover bananas. Next time I make one, though, I’ll be leaving my banana to turn properly brown to maximise the natural sweetness. As bananas ripen, their starches convert into sugars, and mine wasn’t quite ready. I can also recommend feezing your ripe banana, as it’s a game-changer for texture. It also means you don’t have to add as much ice either, which can dilute the drink into oblivion. When you first try it, be prepared for the flavours clash. Once you get used to the taste it’s a lot like drinking liquid banana bread. The coffee brings the bitterness and the base notes, in the form of the roasted flavours, while banana delivers tropical sweetness and, crucially, texture. Whizz a banana with milk, and it becomes thick and creamy, turning an ordinary iced latte into something approaching a milkshake. Is banana coffee healthy? This is where the internet needs to calm down and take a seat. Chuck a piece of fruit into anything these days, and within minutes somebody would have described it as a ‘wellness hack’. Probably me. Sure, bananas contain potassium and fibre. So if you stick to using only banana, milk, ice and coffee, you’re getting the sweetness exclusively from the banana and some minerals thrown in for good measure. Be gone, spoonfuls of unwanted sugar and flavoured syrups. If you’re not making it yourself, be aware that not all banana lattes count as one of your five-a-day. Some versions use sweetened banana milk, syrups and flavoured creams. Before you know it the calories are piling up, so are your dentist bills and you’re firmly in sweet-treat territory. Most importantly though, it needs to taste good. That part is non-negotiable. 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