Café de Olla Recipe

Before you start

Café de olla is Mexican coffee brewed in a pot, traditionally an earthenware olla, with piloncillo (unrefined cone sugar) and canela (Ceylon cinnamon). The sugar adds a deep molasses flavor, the cinnamon a soft, sweet warmth, and the clay pot is said to add an earthy note. Recipes vary by family and region; some add orange peel, cloves or star anise.

The one step people often get wrong is boiling the coffee itself. Simmer the water with piloncillo and cinnamon to build the spiced base, then turn off the heat before adding the grounds and let them steep. That keeps the coffee rich rather than bitter. Strain it well, since it is brewed loose.

Ingredients

• 1 liter (4¼ cups) water
• 60 g (about ½ small cone) piloncillo — chopped, or dark brown sugar
• 1 stick (about 8 cm / 3 inches) canela (Ceylon cinnamon)
• 1 strip orange peel — optional
• 1 whole clove — optional
• 50 g (about ½ cup) dark-roast ground coffee — medium-coarse

Method

1. Put the water, piloncillo, canela, and orange peel and clove if using into the pot.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the piloncillo has completely dissolved, about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the ground coffee.
4. Cover the pot and let the coffee steep for 5 minutes.
5. Pour the coffee through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper towel or cloth into a heatproof jug, leaving most of the grounds behind.
6. Taste and add more piloncillo if you like it sweeter, stirring until it dissolves. Serve hot in mugs or small clay cups.

Tips for success

• If you use a traditional olla, warm it gradually over low heat. Not all clay pots are made for direct heat, so check that yours is suitable for the stovetop.
• Ceylon cinnamon is softer and sweeter than cassia. If using cassia, use half a stick so it does not dominate.
• Let the grounds settle for a minute before straining; less sediment will pass through.

Substitutions

Piloncillo

Dark brown sugar works with a similar molasses taste, though slightly less complex. Use about the same weight.

Canela

Cassia cinnamon is stronger and spicier; use half the amount. Ground cinnamon clouds the coffee and leaves grit.

Dark-roast coffee

A medium roast makes a brighter, less bitter café de olla that lets the spices show more.

Variations

Café de olla con leche

Top each cup with 60 ml warm milk.

Iced café de olla

Chill the strained coffee and serve it over ice with a splash of milk.

Troubleshooting

It tastes bitter

The coffee boiled. Always turn off the heat before adding the grounds and steep for no longer than about 5 minutes.

Too much sediment

The strainer was too coarse. Line it with a paper towel or coffee filter, or let the pot rest a minute before pouring.

Piloncillo will not dissolve

The pieces are too large. Chop or grate it finely and keep the water simmering until it melts.

Storage

Best fresh and hot. Leftover strained coffee can be refrigerated in a covered jar for up to 2 days and reheated gently or served over ice. Store piloncillo tightly wrapped in a cool, dry place.