Martini Espresso? Why not?
Author: Carolyn DonohueJust about everyone who enjoys their coffee loves to sip an espresso – yet another gift from our Italian friends. And there are magical things you can do with your espresso in addition to getting yourself jump-started in the morning.
Of course, espresso is that delectable, thicker-textured coffee you get when you stop off at the coffee shop on the way to work. Their espresso machine pressure-forces steam through finely ground coffee and purists say that the true test of a perfectly made espresso is to add a teaspoonful of sugar. If the sugar remains on top of the coffee for half a minute, then that is espresso perfection.
Martini espresso? Magical things? We'll get to that in a moment.
In the United States, some prepare their morning shot of espresso and top it up with boiling water to make "espresso Americano." Or you can dress it up with a plop of whipped cream on top - you now have espresso con panna. Your espresso topped with foamy milk gives you a macchiato. Try this one; very different - espresso Romano is served black, with a twist of lemon. Nibble on a Granita – to make this, you freeze your sweetened espresso and then crush it – try it as a topping for ice-cream.
I promised you magical things to do to your espresso. How about espresso martinis? You really have to try this to believe how good it is. There are as many variations on the classic martini espresso as there are aficionados of this wonderful "digestif" and here's one to start you off. You'll need your cocktail shaker, very well chilled and about half filled with crushed ice (make your ice with filtered water; it does make a difference). Then pour in the following espresso martini ingredients,
- two ounces icy-cold espresso coffee;
- three ounces top shelf vodka;
- three ounces Kahlua liqueur;
- two ounces white crème de cacao.
But that's only a start. This is one of my favorite espresso martini recipes. Try this sin-filled combination one wintry evening when you're planning to lounge in front of the fire and watch some TV.
- four ounces of light cream, heated (don't boil it or it will be a mess);
- four ounces of freshly made espresso;
- one ounce white chocolate and a little shaved dark chocolate;
- two teaspoons brandy;
- one teaspoon crème de cacao;
- two drops of vanilla essence
- whipped cream.
Agreed, it's not a martini espresso, but I had to share it . . . . Back to martini espresso recipes.
Arm yourself with your chilled cocktail shaker, half filled with crushed ice. Add the following weaponry,
- seven ounces coffee-flavored vodka;
- two ounces chilled espresso coffee;
- half an ounce Kahlua.
One more martini espresso – fast and furious. Shake up a shot of good vodka and a shot of chilled espresso with two teaspoons of fine sugar over crushed ice. Pour into your chilled mart glasses and then carefully float a shot of Amarula Cream on top, using the back of a bar spoon.
Leftover or freshly made and chilled, espresso is a marvelous ingredient you can use to make all kinds of mixed drinks – look in your liquor cabinet and imagineer what you can create with a shaker and crushed ice. Keep some shaved chocolate on hand and a few fresh raspberries and invite some friends over to build your own versions of espressos martini recipes!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/martini-espresso-why-not-4830958.html
About the Author
Carolyn Donohue is an expert on cocktail recipes. If you want to impress your friends by offering them a unique experience try serving the martini espresso. For this and other cool information on espresso martinis click here and you'll be taken to www.cocktailrecipesmadeeasy.com.
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