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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Equipment
Method
Preparation
- 1
Chill glass
Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink to ensure it’s well chilled.
- 2
Brew espresso
Pull a fresh shot of espresso (about 1 oz). Allow it to cool for 1–2 minutes so it’s hot but not steaming; very hot espresso will melt too much ice and flatten the foam.
Mixing
- 3
Add 2 oz vodka, 1 oz freshly brewed espresso (still slightly warm), 1 oz Kahlúa, and 0.25 oz simple syrup (optional for extra richness) into a cocktail shaker. Add about 1 cup of ice (enough to fill the shaker) to chill and dilute the drink properly.
- 4
Dry shake (no ice) for 10 seconds: close the shaker and shake vigorously without ice for about 8–12 seconds to begin emulsifying the espresso crema with the liqueur and vodka. This helps develop a thick, rich foam.
- 5
Add ice and wet shake for 12–20 seconds: open the shaker, add fresh ice, then shake vigorously for 12–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold. This both chills and provides the correct dilution (aim for approximately 20–30% dilution depending on ice and shaker efficiency).
- 6
Double strain into chilled glass: using both the shaker’s strainer and a fine mesh strainer, pour the cocktail into the pre-chilled martini or coupe glass to remove small ice shards and produce a silky texture and clean look.
- 7
Garnish: gently float three coffee beans on top of the foam, spacing them evenly. Optionally, grate a tiny pinch of dark chocolate or cocoa over the foam for additional aroma.
Serving
- 8
Serve immediately while the foam is fresh and aromatic. Recommend one serving per cocktail.