Iced Mexican Coffee

Chef

Cookbook

Amor Y Tacos

Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

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This image courtesy of Sarah Remington

Editor's Note: Looking for that next great coffee buzz to keep you going throughout your busy day. You can do this Mexican-style with incredible coffee over ice in very stimulating flavors. Traditionally, this popular drink that contains many spices is paired with sweet rolls for breakfast and cookies or pastry as an afternoon snack for many. You can also get your caffeine boost with iced coffee that has some refreshing vanilla ice cream floating on top. This cool treat will not diminish the potent caffeine blast that Cafe de olla lovers count on each time they partake.

Cafe de olla is a sweet, heavily spiced brew, usually taken hot in the morning with sweet rolls and in the afternoon with crunchy cookies or a pastry. This refreshing dessert drink, served over ice, features cafe de olla’s welcome kick of caffeine. Cafe de olla is also great as a float, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Piloncillo is raw cane sugar, molded and sold in cones. It has a mild molasses flavor; raw sugar or brown sugar may be substituted.

Makes1 drink

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Recipe CourseBeverage

MealBreakfast, Brunch

Taste and TextureCreamy, Rich, Spiced

Type of DishAlcoholic Beverage, Beverage

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup in a squeeze bottle
Ice cubes
4 ounces Cafe de olla (recipe follows), chilled
2 ounces liquor such as coffee liqueur, brandy, dark rum or almond-flavored liqueur
1 tablespoon heavy cream, condensed milk, or whipped cream
Small pinch of ground cinnamon
5 cups water
4 large cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
4 star anise
1 cone piloncillo sugar (or ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar)
¾ cup ground espresso coffee beans, regular or decaffeinated

Instructions

For the Café de Olla: Combine the water, spices, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break up the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, without stirring, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the coffee, cover, and steep for 5 minutes. Line a sieve with a coffee filter and strain the coffee through it. Serve hot or, for iced coffee, store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Chill a 12-ounce glass. Drizzle the inside of the glass with the chocolate syrup, then fill the glass with ice and pour in the liquor. Top up with chilled Cafe de olla. Drizzle the cream on top (or spoon on the whipped cream) and dust with cinnamon.