Café de olla is a Mexican breakfast staple made from coffee brewed with spices, orange peel and piloncillo, or unrefined cane sugar. We mix it with tequila to make our espresso martinis for a great little pick-me-up.
Espresso martini de ollaServes 1
For the café de olla (makes enough for 5 serves)
250ml just-brewed strong black coffee
2 demerara sugar cubes
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
¼ star anise
4-5cm-long strip orange peel
For the drink
40ml tequila blanco – we use Ocho Blanco
20ml Kahlúa, or other similar coffee liqueur
50ml café de olla – see above and method
A few coffee beans, to garnish (optional)
First make the cafe de olla. Pour the hot coffee into a large bowl or jug, add the demerara sugar, cinnamon, clove, star anise and orange peel, then leave to steep for at least 20 minutes – the longer it infuses, the more flavourful the result. Fine strain the coffee into a clean jar or bottle, then seal and put in the fridge, where it will keep for up to two days.
To build the drink, measure the tequila, Kahlúa and cafe de olla into a shaker, seal and shake for 60 seconds. Open the shaker, add a big handful of ice, then seal and shake again for 60-90 seconds.
Fine-strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a few coffee beans, if using, and serve.
Daniel Corrochio, Corrochio’s, London N16