Superdrinks: the Açaì Milkshake ft. Taiao and Damien Burgess

After the success of our Mocktails and of the Iced Coffee Club, we have decided to open the doors of a new coffee world: the Superdrinks’ one.

In collaboration with Damian Burgess, co-founder of Taiao, a new brand of vegan and gluten-free drink preparations, we have defined a series of recipes to make at home. Rich in flavours and nutrients, these drinks blend coffee with functional ingredients and superfoods that nourish the body and the soul. 

To begin this series, we have thought of a healthy classic: the açaì bowls. Born in Brazil and then spread all over the world, they quickly became a symbol of a healthy and aware lifestyle, combining pleasure with health benefits.

The idea for the Açaì Milkshake started from a simple question: what happens if you take that same experience and transform it into something you drink, adding an element (coffee) you would never find in a bowl ? The answer is this creamy, cold and layered drink, with a double espresso signing the bottom and changing everything.

Açaì: why they call it a superfood

The term superfood is often misused. In the case of açaì, however, the reputation is built on a solid ground. Açaì berries, small, deep purple, native to the Amazonian rainforests where they grow on Euterpe oleracea palms, contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants found in any known fruit. The main contributors are anthocyanins, the same pigments that give berries their intense colour and that play an important role in protecting cells against oxidative stress.

But the nutritional profile of açaì goes beyond antioxidants. It is a fruit rich in unsaturated fats, as well as fibre, iron, calcium and a range of micronutrients that make it one of the most interesting ingredients in contemporary functional cuisine. Unlike many other tropical fruits, it has a relatively low sugar content, which means its sweetness is subtle and pairs well with preparations where you don’t want the sweetness to dominate everything else.

In powder form, like the Taiao variety used in this recipe, the açaì keeps its properties and becomes a versatile ingredient, easy to incorporate into smoothies, layered drinks and cold preparations. The powder dissolves in lukewarm water and returns that deep violet colour that is already, visually, a promise of what is to come.

The coffee that makes the difference

In a recipe like this, where every ingredient brings its own distinct character, the choice of coffee is important as well. Açaì has an aromatic profile naturally oriented towards red fruits, blueberry and cherry, with a slight earthy undertone reminiscent of dark chocolate. The vanilla milkshake brings sweetness and creaminess. The berries add fresh acidity. In this context, an espresso with notes of red fruits or berry – a Ethiopian single origin or a blend that includes it – integrates into the drink naturally, as if it had always been meant to be there.

An espresso with a more roasted and bitter profile, on the other hand, would tend to break the harmony of the preparation, coming through in a discordant way rather than entering into dialogue with the other ingredients. It is a matter of affinity: every coffee has its ideal context, and this drink has an aromatic identity defined enough to guide the choice with some precision.

The recipe

1. Pour a few ice cubes into a tall glass

2. In a mixer, blend vanilla ice cream with a splash of cold milk until you obtain a milkshake texture.

3. Pour the milkshake into the glass, over the ice cubes

4. In a separate bowl or cup, mix the Taiao Açaì powder with lukewarm water, then pour it into the glass

5. Brew a double espresso and pour it in the glass

6. Garnish with a handful of berries and a few granola clusters

Serve with a spoon with a long handle, useful to mix the drink, and then to eat the berries and granola on top!