As summer becomes autumn and the weather gets colder, our tastes change – not only when it comes to food, but when it comes to coffee too. Gone are the cravings for iced coffees: we’re now looking for something more seasonal to tickle our tastebuds. It’s also a time of year when we’re looking for comforting, warming food and drink to get us through the cold and the rain.

October signals the start of pumpkin season, and what better way to enjoy this great ingredient than in a Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Some people will have tried a variant offered by some of the well-known coffee chains in the UK, while in the US, you can buy pre-mixed pumpkin spice that is used in all manner of recipes.

We’ve provided you with a recipe below so you can give this perfect autumnal drink a go yourself – check Waitrose or Ocado for the tinned pumpkin, and don’t worry about pumpkin spice, as it’s simply an easy combination of spices that you’ll no doubt already have at home.

While it may seem like a lot of effort to create your own pumpkin spice syrup, it’s so much more satisfying to make your own, meaning that you can enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte at home whenever you like.

FOR THE SYRUP

• 180ml water
• 110g caster sugar
• 50g dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp of tinned pumpkin (available from Waitrose and Ocado)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

METHOD

1. Bring the water, caster sugar and dark brown sugar to the boil in a small saucepan, and heat until the sugars have dissolved.
2. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for five minutes.
3. Leave to cool, and store in the fridge until ready to use.

FOR THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE (SERVES ONE)

• 180ml warm milk
• 1 shot of espresso (we recommend the Brown Bear Cub Espresso)
• Pumpkin Latte Spice syrup (amount depends on your taste)
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg and whipped cream (optional)

METHOD

1. Stir the milk, espresso and Pumpkin Latte spice syrup together, and adjust the quantity of syrup depending on your taste.
2. If desired, top with whipped cream and either ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg for added decadence.