Café Exprés Recipe
Kahlúa, Don Julio Añejo Licor 43, Espresso
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Ingredients
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Coffee & Liqueur
Garnish & Optional
Method
Prepare Glass & Espresso
Warm and sweeten (optional)
If you prefer a slightly sweeter drink, place 1 tsp of fine sugar on a small plate. Warm a rocks glass by rinsing with hot water, discard the water, then rub a very light amount of cooled espresso around the rim and dip the rim into the sugar to coat. Alternatively, skip the rim sugar.
Brew espresso
Brew a double shot (about 2 oz) of espresso using a machine or a stovetop espresso maker. Use freshly ground coffee and brew directly into a small heatproof container so the espresso stays hot.
Build the Drink
Preheat a mixing glass or a small cocktail shaker with hot water, then discard the water and add a few ice cubes to chill the vessel briefly. This step helps slightly cool the liqueurs without cooling the espresso too much.
Add 1 oz Kahlúa, 0.5 oz Don Julio Añejo, and 0.5 oz Licor 43 into the chilled mixing glass or shaker.
Stir the liqueurs gently with a bar spoon for about 10–15 seconds to combine and slightly chill them. You are not aiming to ice them down completely — just to marry flavors.
Discard the ice from the mixing glass. Pour the warmed liqueur blend into a pre-warmed rocks glass (or small coffee/espresso glass).
Carefully pour the 2 oz freshly brewed espresso over the back of a spoon or directly into the glass to layer and integrate with the liqueurs. Pouring slowly preserves a delicate crema on top.
Finish & Garnish
Garnish with 3 coffee beans floated on the crema or add a small orange twist expressed over the drink and dropped in. Serve immediately while the espresso is hot.
Optional: If you coated the rim with sugar, present it on a small saucer or with a demitasse spoon for stirring. For a slightly cooler, cocktail-style variant, serve over one large ice cube in a rocks glass.