An espresso martini looks like a bartender-only drink, but it comes together with four ingredients and a shaker, no specialist equipment required beyond something to shake it hard in.
What you need
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz coffee liqueur
- 1 oz freshly brewed espresso, cooled slightly
- 0.5 oz simple syrup, adjust to taste
- Coffee beans, for garnish
- Ice
The method
- Brew a shot of espresso and let it cool for a few minutes so it does not melt all the ice immediately.
- Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds. This step matters more here than in most cocktails, since the vigorous shaking is what creates the drink's signature layer of foam on top.
- Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to catch any ice shards.
- Garnish with three coffee beans placed on the foam.
Why it needs to be shaken hard
The foam on top of a good espresso martini comes from the crema in the espresso being agitated and trapped by the proteins in the coffee, similar to how a whipped coffee foams. A half-hearted shake gives a thin, disappearing foam, while a full 15 second hard shake gives a foam that holds for the length of the drink.
Using flavoured sugar in the syrup
Instead of a plain simple syrup, dissolving a spoonful of Midnight Mocha in a small amount of hot water gives a syrup with extra cocoa and salt depth, which pairs naturally with the coffee liqueur. Let it cool before adding to the shaker.
Making it your own
Swap the coffee liqueur ratio up or down depending on how sweet you like it, and consider a rim of flavoured sugar on the glass rather than a plain one for extra flavour with the first sip.
