Espresso Martini Recipe

Before you start

The espresso martini is vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso shaken until they turn into a cold, silky drink with a thick layer of foam. That foam comes from the oils and dissolved gases in freshly pulled espresso; coffee that has sat for an hour, or cold brew, simply does not have enough of them to build a lasting head.

The main choices are sweetness and strength. Coffee liqueurs vary a lot in sugar, so taste before adding syrup. Pull the shot just before you mix, give it a minute to lose its scalding heat, then shake very hard with plenty of ice. A long, violent shake is what turns the coffee into a creamy cap.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) vodka
• 30 ml (1 oz) freshly brewed espresso — 1 shot, pulled within the last few minutes
• 25 ml (¾ oz plus 1 tsp) coffee liqueur
• 5 to 10 ml (1 to 2 tsp) simple syrup (1:1) — optional; skip if your liqueur is very sweet
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 3 whole coffee beans — garnish

Method

1. Chill the coupe in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. A warm glass melts the foam from underneath.
2. Pull a 30 ml shot of espresso. Let it rest about 1 minute so it stops steaming but is still fresh; very hot coffee melts the ice too fast and thins the drink.
3. Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and syrup, if using, to the shaker. Fill it to the top with cold, dry ice cubes.
4. Seal tightly and shake as hard as you can for 15 to 20 seconds. You should hear the ice break up and the tin should frost over completely.
5. Double-strain into the chilled glass through the Hawthorne and fine strainers, pouring steadily so the foam settles in an even layer on top.
6. Wait about 20 seconds for the head to firm up, then float three coffee beans on the foam and serve.

Tips for success

• Taste the coffee liqueur on its own first. If it is syrupy, leave out the simple syrup entirely; if it is dry and bitter, use the full 10 ml.
• A medium or medium-dark roast gives chocolate and caramel notes. Very light roasts can taste sour against the vodka.
• If you are making several, pull each shot right before its round. Batched espresso loses the foaming oils within about 15 minutes.

Substitutions

Espresso

Moka pot coffee or a concentrated AeroPress shot works and still foams reasonably well. Cold brew concentrate tastes smooth but gives a thin, short-lived head.

Vodka

An aged rum or reposado tequila adds vanilla or agave notes and makes a richer drink. Keep the same amount.

Simple syrup

Demerara syrup adds toffee depth; vanilla syrup gives a dessert-like finish. Both are sweeter-tasting, so start with 5 ml.

Variations

Salted caramel

Replace the simple syrup with 10 ml caramel syrup and add a tiny pinch of salt before shaking.

Lower-alcohol version

Use 30 ml vodka and 30 ml coffee liqueur, and add 10 ml more espresso.

Troubleshooting

There is no foam or it disappears fast

The espresso was stale or the shake was too soft. Use a shot pulled within minutes, fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for a full 15 seconds or more.

The drink tastes watery

The espresso went in scalding hot and melted the ice. Let it cool for a minute first, and use dry ice straight from the freezer.

It is too bitter

The shot may be over-extracted or the roast very dark. Add 5 ml syrup, or pull a slightly shorter shot next time.

It is cloyingly sweet

Drop the simple syrup and reduce the coffee liqueur to 20 ml, making up the volume with 5 ml more vodka.

Storage

Serve immediately; the foam starts to settle within a few minutes and does not come back. Do not batch with espresso. You can pre-mix the vodka, liqueur and syrup and keep it in the fridge, adding a fresh shot to each drink.

Safety notes

Contains about 45 ml of 40% vodka and 25 ml of roughly 20% coffee liqueur, about 1.3 U.S. standard drinks. It also contains caffeine from one espresso shot; the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects for most healthy adults, but sensitivity varies, and caffeine does not reduce intoxication. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.