White Russian Recipe (and the Black Russian)

Before you start

The White Russian starts life as a Black Russian, a two-ingredient drink of vodka and coffee liqueur served over ice, and adds cream on top. The result tastes like a strong, sweet iced coffee with a soft dairy finish. There is no shaking and no citrus, so the quality of the coffee liqueur and the freshness of the cream carry nearly all the flavor.

The key choice is how to add the cream. Floating it gently over the back of a spoon gives the classic look of white clouds sinking into dark liquid, and lets each drinker stir it in when they want. Stirring it in from the start makes a uniformly tan, smoother drink. Use heavy cream, or half-and-half for a lighter body, and keep it cold right up to pouring.

Ingredients

• 50 ml (1⅔ oz) vodka
• 20 ml (⅔ oz) coffee liqueur
• 30 ml (1 oz) heavy cream — very cold; or half-and-half for a lighter drink
• 1 large or 3 to 4 regular ice cubes — for serving

Method

1. Fill a rocks glass with one large cube or several regular ice cubes. Cold glass and plenty of ice keep the cream from warming and tasting heavy.
2. Pour in the vodka and coffee liqueur. Stir with the bar spoon for 5 to 10 seconds to chill and mix them. At this point you have a Black Russian.
3. Give the carton of cream a gentle shake, or whisk the measured cream in a cup for a few seconds so it thickens just slightly. It should still pour.
4. Hold the bar spoon upside down just above the surface of the drink and pour the cream slowly over the back of it so it settles on top in a layer.
5. Serve with a stirrer and let the drinker swirl the cream in, or stir it in yourself for a uniform, pale coffee color.

Tips for success

• Very lightly thickened cream floats better than liquid cream. A few seconds of whisking is enough; stop well before soft peaks.
• Adjust the ratio to taste. Many people prefer 40 ml vodka and 30 ml coffee liqueur for a sweeter, more coffee-forward drink.
• Check the date on your cream and smell it before pouring. Even slightly sour cream curdles on contact with the liqueur.

Substitutions

Heavy cream

Whole milk makes a much thinner drink that will not float. Oat or barista-style almond milk works for a dairy-free version; stir it in rather than layering.

Coffee liqueur

Use a less sweet, coffee-forward liqueur for a drier drink, or a cold brew liqueur. Very sweet brands may need extra vodka to balance.

Vodka

Aged rum or bourbon gives caramel and vanilla notes and a heavier body. Keep the same measure.

Variations

Black Russian

Leave out the cream. Stir 50 ml vodka and 20 ml coffee liqueur over ice and serve.

Spiced White Russian

Add 5 ml cinnamon or vanilla syrup to the vodka and liqueur before floating the cream.

Troubleshooting

The cream curdles into specks

The cream was old or warm, or the drink had an acidic ingredient added. Use fresh, cold cream and avoid citrus garnishes.

The cream sinks straight away instead of floating

Pour more slowly over the back of a spoon, and thicken the cream lightly first. Liquid cream straight from the carton mixes in quickly.

It tastes too sweet

Increase the vodka slightly or switch to a drier coffee liqueur. A pinch of salt in the cream also tempers sweetness.

Storage

Make to order. Keep cream refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below and do not leave a cream-topped drink or an open carton at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Contains about 50 ml of 40% vodka and 20 ml of roughly 20% coffee liqueur, around 1.3 U.S. standard drinks. Contains dairy unless you use a plant milk. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.