So Theres Actually Coffee In It
An espresso martini does indeed contain actual coffee, not just coffee liqueur.
Ideally, youll want to use freshly brewed espresso for this martini. This can lead to some difficultiesnot everyone has an espresso maker and even if you do, youll have to chill the freshly made espresso in advance. You dont want the ice to melt when youre shaking the cocktail.
To get around this, you can substitute freshly brewed espresso with cold brew concentrate instead. That will conveniently give you a similar taste and texture.
What Is An Espresso Martini
An espresso martini is a drink traditionally made with liquor and coffee. There are hundreds of variations, but most espresso martini recipes include some or all of the following ingredients: either vodka or gin, coffee , coffee liqueur, and a sweetener. The drink was initially popular in the 1980s and early 1990s and has seen a resurgence in 2021.
Espresso martinis are usually chilled, served up, and shaken. Shaking the drink helps develop a characteristic foam on top, and some bartenders will finish the drink with whole coffee beans for garnish.
When And What To Serve With Espresso Martini
Make this an after dinner cocktail by serving it alongside bowls of caramel popcorn or platters of Chocolate Covered Strawberries that people can graze on
If youre a coffee lover, go all out with Tiramisu, everybodys favourite coffee flavoured Italian dessert. Or try it with a classic Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting because chocolate and coffee? 100% perfect!
Enjoy! Nagi x
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Is There An Alternative To Vodka
Some people dont like the taste of vodka, so if youre one of the few, dont fret! Youll still be able to enjoy some coffee martini. All you need to do is replace vodka with gin. Did you know that the traditional way of making martini is using gin?
If you want your coffee martini to be perfect, in terms of taste and texture, its highly recommended that you use vodka instead.
For your vodka, you should use mid-range to high-end vodka. You can either choose for Belvedere or go for Grey Goose. Both these drinks have the perfect flavor to complement the coffee taste. If you use a cheap brand of vodka, your cocktail will likely fail and not taste very good.
Tips For Making An Espresso Martini
– Be sure to cool the coffee completely before mixing your cocktail. You want to avoid the ice melting when you go to shake the drink so the flavors stay strong and your cocktail is cold.
– Put your coffee in the freezer to cool off quickly.
– Shake the cocktail vigorously to create a rich, creamy foam.
– Strain the cocktail into the glass quickly so the foam settles on top.
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A Twist Of Coffee On A Classic Martini Recipe
Officially speaking an Espresso Martini is not like a true Martini, because it does not contain any gin or vermouth. But, because this caffeinated cocktail is served in a Martini glass, it has become just as iconic as the regular one. This twist on a regular Martini is a coffee lovers dream cocktail.
How To Make Espresso Martini Frothy
The shaking action in the shaker creates the best part of an Espresso Martini, which is the foam layer. This gives the cocktail the vibe of a drink similar to a latte or cappuccino. To guarantee that the frothy foam layer appears on your martini, use freshly brewed espresso and shake the cocktail very well.
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Should You Use Hot Or Cold Espresso
Again, this is a topic with varied opinions, but based on my experience hot espresso or hot coffee produces the best espresso martini.
I think it has something to do with the oils that are in the coffee beans and the crema that you see in fresh espresso that helps create the creamy foam on top of the martini.
But if all you have is cold brew or room temperature coffee it will also work, you may just end up with less foam than if you were using hot espresso.
It is however important to add the hot espresso last if using it, so that it doesnt melt all the ice while you measure and pour the other ingredients.
Equipment Needed For An Espresso Martini
To make an espresso martini, youll want to have several items on hand in addition to your drink ingredients.
- A cocktail shaker with strainer
- You need a shaker not a mixing glass, because unlike other martinis this drink is always served shaken. Thats because the shaking action results in a foam layer on top, which gives the cocktail the vibe of a nonalcoholic espresso drink similar to a latte or cappuccino.
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Espresso Martinis Over Time
Bradsells original espresso martini used only espresso, vodka, and simple syrup. At the time, the drink was called a Vodka Espresso, but as martinis became more mainstream , the name shifted for a brief period, when Bradsell designed a cocktail menu for artist Damien Hirsts London installation, Pharmacy, he tried out the name Pharmaceutical Stimulant.
Now, there are hundreds of riffs on espresso martinis, but the general outline remains the same: a liquor, a coffee, and some sort of sweetener. Instead of using coffee, some recipes call for coffee liqueurs, like Kaluha. As espresso martinis became popular again, bartenders have mixed it up, sometimes using cold brew as the coffee element in the drink.
Looking For More Espresso
Before making your espresso martini, there are a few things youll want to keep in mind. First, you will want to use espresso instead of regular or instant coffee. Its important for the flavor profile.
You can use espresso powder instead if you need to. Next, its important to let the espresso chill completely before adding it to the ice and alcohol so that it does not melt the ice.
The foam is an important part of this cocktail, both for flavor and presentation. Its kind of like when you order a latte, the more foam the better!
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What Do The Three Beans In An Espresso Martini Mean
Traditionally, the cocktail is served with three coffee beans as garnish. The beans must be spread out in a fan to represent the look of several flower petals. The beans represent health, happiness, and wealth.
Bartenders note
Replace the Sugar syrup with Galliano Vanilla for a subtle vanilla, herbal undertone. Very delicious and less of a hassle, so you do not need to make any sugar syrup.
Replace the vodka for tequila to make it a Mexican Martini.
Espresso Martini Variations To Try:
- Espresso Tim Tam Martini – Natalie Migliarini created this coffee cocktail combined with addictive chocolate cookies inspired by a trip to Australia
- Rémy Espresso – The Rémy Espresso is an elevated take on the classic Espresso Martini. The flavors of the Cognac create a unique experience.
- Ketel One Espresso Martini – Ketel One Vodkas clean aromatics and silky mouthfeel meld perfectly with espresso to create an after-dinner tipple.
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How Is Gin Different From Vodka
Vodka is a neutral spirit that is mostly water and alcohol, making it tasteless whereas gin has more herbal notes to it. The herbal notes are from mixing neutral spirits, with or over juniper berries and other aromatics. US regulations mandate that gin shall derive its main characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less than 80° proof so the main difference is the use of juniper berries.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Make sure to cool the coffee completely after brewing it or itll melt the ice and you wont have a nice chilled cocktail.
- To cool your coffee quickly you can put it in the freezer for a few minutes.
- Make sure to shake the cocktail extra hard so you create that lovely foam on top.
- When pouring the cocktail into your glass do it swiftly to ensure the foam ends up on top!
- If you dont have bottled simple syrup you can make it by bringing equal amounts of sugar and water to boil until the sugar has dissolved. Turn it off the heat and leave it to cool completely before using.
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Cafecito / Cafe Cubano / Espresso Cubano
Also known as Cuban Coffee and Un Cafecito, Cafe Cubano is typically twice as strong as American coffee. Cafe Cubano is very popular in Cuba and among the United States Cuban American community .
Commonly served in thimble-sized paper cups, Cuban coffee is often served at the end of a meal in tiny cups called tacitas, which are even smaller than demitasse cups.
The traditional method of making a Cafe Cubano is using a pot on the stove though Cubans in the United States often use stovetop espresso makers.
When you order Cafe Cubano drinks for a group it is known as a colada.
To prepare a Cafe Cubano pour ice-cold water into the espresso maker and fill it with the espresso beans.
Screw the espresso pot together and place it on the stove burner. Place approximately two teaspoons of sugar into your cup and then when the coffee begins percolating pour a bit into your cup to moisten the sugar into a paste.
When the coffee has finished brewing, slowly pour some into the cup and gently mix it with the sugary pastethis should create a foam. Now add the rest of the coffee.
Also see: Cuban Coffee – Coffees of Cuba.
Making Espresso Martinis For A Crowd
I always like to think any cocktail can be made into a big batchand isn’t that the Southern way? However, this particular cocktail isn’t quite as special without its signature frothy cream that sits delicately on top, which can’t be achieved in a batch setting. The cream is a result of vigorously shaking the freshly brewed espresso. Like the first rich, foamy sip of a cappuccino, this coffee cocktail is worth a shake every time.
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Make The Coffee Using Any Method
Use whatever coffee method you like for this Coffee Martini! You may want to use decaf coffee if youre serving this as an after dinner drink and dont want to stay up all night. But if you love an after dinner coffee, full strength , go for it! Here are some of our favorite methods for brewing:
- Pour over: We used a Chemex to make pour over coffee for this cocktails, which we use every morning
- Aeropress: The Aeropress is great for making a single cup of coffee: and its very economical!
- Coffee maker: Any coffee maker you have will do
- Espresso maker: You can also make an Americano for this coffee if you have an espresso maker
Ingredients For An Espresso Martini
A traditional espresso martini consists of vodka, coffee liqueur , freshly brewed espresso, or an espresso substitute like cold brew concentrate, and simple syrup. Since we are dressing this one up all Southern-like, let’s walk through what you’ll need.
BourbonThe quintessential liquor of the South. It’s rich, warm, and pairs beautifully with sweet and slightly bitter flavors from coffee. My favorite brand to use is Bulleit.
Coffee LiqueurKahlúa is the go-to coffee liqueur, and not to knock it, it’s delicious. However, Kahlúa tends to be quite sweet, and we really are looking for a balanced coffee cocktail here. Otherwise, we’d go get ourselves one of those frothy, super sweet coffee drinks from our local chain coffee shop and just take our bourbon with us.
I like to use Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, but keeping with this truly Southern version of an espresso martini, I would recommend Bittermens New Orleans Coffee Liqueur.
EspressoAs you can imagine, the best espresso martini is made with freshly ground and freshly brewed espresso that sits just long enough so as to not be hot. Unfortunately, not every household is fixed with an espresso machine, or a barista for that matter. If you do in fact have an espresso machine or a Moka pot, brew enough espresso for as many servings as you need.
Simple SyrupSimple syrup is super easy to make at home and so worth it. Just a splash gives the perfect amount of sweetness.
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How To Make A Cucumber Martini
1. Cut the cucumber into ¼ inch slices, youll need 4 to 6 slices for the cocktail.
2. Add the cucumber slices to a glass.
3. Pour vermouth into the glass and muddle the cucumbers.
4. Transfer everything and add the gin to a cocktail shaker and add a handful of ice.
5. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
6. Garnish with a thin slice of cucumber.
How Do You Make An Espresso Martini Frothy
To get the lovely signature frothy layer on the surface of your Espresso Martini, you need to use real espresso coffee from a proper coffee machine that gives you a nice crema . Using instant coffee granules, a French Press or similar wont give you the same result, no matter how vigorously you shake the cocktail shaker.
HOT TIP! If you dont have a proper coffee machine, just add egg white. It wont alter the taste or texture of the cocktail but once you shake it up, youll end up with an awesome froth on the surface. You need the foam for the coffee beans to float on the surface.
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Can I Make This Ahead Of Time
You can make this cucumber martini recipe ahead of time for a party. To do so, scale up all of the ingredients, minus the ice, then store the drink in a jar or pitcher with a lid in the fridge. When ready to serve, shake the cocktail with ice. I dont recommend making this martini too many days ahead of time as youd want the cucumber flavors to taste fresh.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Coffee make sure to use strong espresso coffee preferably brewed in a machine with plenty of froth! One kind of coffee to avoid for making this cocktail is instant coffee, it just wont taste like a true Espresso Martini without proper espresso.
Kahlua this is a wonderful coffee and rum liqueur that tastes amazing it really gives this cocktail the best flavor.
Vodka use your favorite vodka here it doesnt need to be expensive!
Simple syrup this is used to sweeten the cocktail and mellow the flavors of the strong coffee and vodka. You can buy simple syrup in bottles or make it by bringing equal amounts of water and sugar to a boil then leaving it to cool completely.
Coffee beans these are a traditional and fun garnish but not necessary for taste.
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Garnishes For An Espresso Martini
A classic espresso martini is garnished with three coffee beans on top. This tradition started with coffee beans as a garnish for sambuca. The three coffee beans are meant to represent three blessings: wealth, prosperity, and happiness. While the whole coffee beans are also edible, the simplicity of the traditional garnish is classic and timeless.
However, I decided to try something new. Use a micro plane or fine zester to grate a coffee bean over the top of a finished drink. The grated coffee beans creates a dust or powder look, delicately floating on top of the creamy foam. Not only is it attractive and different, but it also gives off a strong, mouthwatering coffee smell that enhances the drinking experience.
What Makes An Espresso Martini Frothy
There are a couple of factors that go into making this particular cocktail nice and frothy. First, the freshness and quality of the espresso. A freshly brewed coffee is best for producing a rich cream.
Second, it’s all about the shake, shake, shake! Fill the cocktail shaker with ice, lots of ice, and shake that thang like you mean it! The more intensely you shake the drink, the more frothy the cream. Strain directly into a chilled glass. Spoon out extra foam from the shaker if desired.
An alternative way to create foam in a cocktail is to add an egg white to your cocktail shaker before you shake the drink. The egg white creates a lovely foam and does not change the texture or the flavor of the drink.
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What Is In An Espresso Martini
An espresso martini is comprised of espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur such as Kahlua. Its very easy to make. If you dont have an espresso machine, you can brew some strong coffee instead using less water than normal and use that as a substitute although the taste will differ slightly from this recipe.
Pro Tips For This Recipe
- The garnish is optional but you can always garnish the glasses ahead of time and store them in the fridge for a few hours-overnight.
- If you like things less sweet then add an extra jigger of vodka.
- Have fun with different flavor additions. Cherry liqueur for chocolate cherry martinis, espresso or coffee liqueur for a mocha martini etc.
- You can mix the cocktails in advance and shake or stir with ice before serving.
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How To Make A Frothy Espresso Martini
Heres a few key tips for getting that lovely layer of foam on top of your martini:
- Start with hot espresso or hot coffee.
- Use the right ratio of ingredients. The sugar in the kahlua combined with the crema from the coffee help build the foam on top. If your ingredients are too diluted the martini wont have as lovely of a foam.
- Shake, shake, shake! Properly shaking & aerating the martini is a key step in building the foam for this drink 15-30 seconds of vigorous shaking should do the trick.
- Make sure to pour right after shaking. As soon as youre done shaking strain the cocktail into glasses so the foam doesnt have time to break down. If making 2 cocktails at a time divide about half of the cocktail into each glass and then finish them both with what remains, as most of the foam will pour out last.