Espresso Martini — A modern classic — vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso shaken to a silky foam, deepened with a few dashes of cacao bitters

Espresso Martini

A modern classic — vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso shaken to a silky foam, deepened with a few dashes of cacao bitters

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 2 dashesPitch Dark Cacao Bitters
    Cacao-and-roasted-coffee bitters that pull the drink toward dark chocolate
    Substitute: Angostura Cocoa or Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters
  • 1/2 ozCoffee Liqueur
    Adds body and sweetness
    Substitute: A cold-brew coffee liqueur for a drier drink
  • 1 ozFresh Espresso
    Hot-pulled and shaken at once — the heat and oils build the foam
    Substitute: Strong moka-pot coffee, cooled slightly
  • 1 1/2 ozVodka
    A clean, neutral vodka
    Substitute: A lightly aged rum for a richer glass
  • 1/4 ozSimple Syrup
    Adjust to the sweetness of your coffee liqueur
    Substitute: Omit for a bitter-forward glass

Instructions

  1. Chill a coupe glass

    Keep it cold until the pour

  2. Add 1 1/2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz coffee liqueur, 1 oz fresh espresso, 1/4 oz simple syrup and 2 dashes cacao bitters to a shaker
  3. Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, until very cold and frothy
  4. Double strain into the chilled coupe and let the foam settle
  5. Float three coffee beans in the centre of the foam

Technique Notes

Shake very hard with plenty of ice to whip up the foam, then double strain into a chilled coupe and let the crema settle before the beans go on

Why the Espresso Martini Works

Cacao bitters pull the espresso toward dark chocolate and rein in the coffee liqueur's sweetness. Shake harder and colder than feels necessary: the crema is what builds the foam, so a fresh shot gives you far more of it than yesterday's cold brew will.