Espresso Martini Recipe

Espresso Martini

1. 1

   Chill glass

   Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink so it will be nicely chilled.

2. 2

   Brew and cool espresso

   Brew a shot (about 1 fl oz) of fresh espresso. Let it rest for 30–60 seconds to cool slightly but remain hot enough to create a good crema; if it's too hot it will melt too much ice in the shaker.

3. 3

   Combine ingredients

   Add the vodka (2 fl oz), freshly brewed espresso (1 fl oz), espresso liqueur (1 fl oz) and vanilla simple syrup (0.5 fl oz) into a cocktail shaker. Add a good handful of ice (about 1 cup) to the shaker.

4. 4

   Dry shake (optional)

   For a foamier top, first shake the ingredients without ice (a vigorous 10–15 seconds). This helps emulsify the espresso and syrup and creates a better crema.

5. 5

   Wet shake

   Add the ice if you did a dry shake, or if you didn't skip this step, then firmly shake the cocktail shaker for 10–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and the mixture is well-aerated.

6. 6

   Double strain and serve

   Remove the glass from the freezer or discard the ice water. Using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh (or the shaker's built-in strainer if fine enough), double-strain the cocktail into the chilled glass to remove ice shards and ensure a smooth texture and clear top foam.

7. 7

   Garnish

   Carefully place three coffee beans on the foam as a classic garnish. Serve immediately.