Café Bombón Recipe

Before you start

Café bombón is a small Spanish coffee most associated with Valencia: equal or near-equal parts sweetened condensed milk and espresso, served in a little glass so the two layers show. It is very sweet and very rich, more like a coffee dessert than an everyday cup, and it is meant to be stirred together before you drink it.

The layers depend on density. Condensed milk is thick and heavy, so it stays on the bottom if you pour the espresso gently over the back of a spoon. Pour too fast and the coffee punches through and clouds the glass. Use a strong, slightly bitter espresso; it needs to cut through the sweetness, and a mild or sour shot makes the drink cloying.

Ingredients

• 25 to 30 ml (about 1 oz) sweetened condensed milk — at room temperature
• 30 to 40 ml (1 to 1¼ oz) espresso — one shot, medium-dark roast
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon — optional

Method

1. Warm the glass with hot water and dry it well. Water left inside thins the condensed milk and blurs the layer.
2. Measure the condensed milk into the bottom of the glass. Pour slowly and keep it off the sides for a clean line.
3. Pull a single shot of espresso, about 30 to 40 ml in 25 to 30 seconds, into a small pitcher or shot glass.
4. Hold a teaspoon upside down just above the condensed milk, touching the inside of the glass. Pour the espresso slowly onto the back of the spoon so it spreads across the top.
5. Dust with cinnamon if you like and serve right away with the spoon. Stir the layers together before drinking.

Tips for success

• Adjust the ratio to your coffee. A strong, dark shot can take equal parts; a lighter espresso is better with a little less condensed milk.
• If your condensed milk is cold and stiff, stand the can in warm water for a few minutes so it pours and blends easily.
• Serve a glass of water alongside. The drink is intensely sweet, and a sip of water resets the palate.

Substitutions

Sweetened condensed milk

Dulce de leche thinned with a little hot milk gives a caramel version. Coconut condensed milk makes a dairy-free bombón with a light coconut flavor.

Espresso

Strong moka pot coffee works and is traditional in many homes; it layers less sharply because it is thinner.

Variations

Bombón con hielo

Make the bombón, stir it, then pour it over two or three ice cubes in a short glass.

Bombón cortado

Add a thin layer of steamed milk foam on top of the espresso for three visible layers.

Troubleshooting

The layers blur together

The espresso went in too fast or from too high. Pour slowly over the back of a spoon held close to the surface.

It tastes sickly sweet

Use less condensed milk, about 20 ml, and a darker, more bitter espresso.

Condensed milk stays in a lump at the bottom

Stir thoroughly from the base, and use condensed milk at room temperature so it dissolves into the hot coffee.

Storage

Make and drink it fresh. Transfer leftover condensed milk from an opened can to a covered container, refrigerate it, and use it within about a week or two; discard it if it smells sour or shows mold.