A cafecito, or Cuban coffee, is like a cup of the history of the country. The history of a country torn by conflict, hardship, and scarcity is reflected in this sweet espresso drink, which is made with robust, dark roast espresso and sweetened with a thick sugar foam. It is the most delectable coffee beverage ever!
Cuban coffee is a huge part of my culture. We prepare it following each meal. It is something we order as dessert at Cuban restaurants. We even purchase it to share with unrelated parties!
You can learn the precise steps for making Cuban coffee by reading our article. Start now!
What Is Cuban Coffee?
A strong coffee or espresso is used to make Cuban Coffee (also known as Cafe Cubano), which is extremely sweet. A thick, foamy layer that resembles crema is created when the whipped sugar rises to the top. As you’ll see in the video, whipped sugar is used to create this layer, which is known as “espuma.” Delicious and incredibly simple. To make the coffee required for this recipe, Moka pots are frequently used.
History Of Cuban Coffee
I spent ample time in Cuba’s coffee shops while researching my cookbook Cuba: Recipes and Stories From the Cuban Kitchen. The baristas who skillfully brewed me cups of robust black coffee with sugar informed me that the bitterness is attributed to the toasted chickpeas that are ground up with Cuban coffee beans to stretch the limited supply available. The espuma, made of sugar and a small amount of coffee, is meant to resemble the crema found in more expensive cups of espresso.
The tiny tacitas are a reflection of the rationing and lack of coffee that Cubans have experienced since the government imposed them in 1962 after nationalizing the country’s food supply. A small cup is required to ensure that the four ounces of coffee allotted to each Cuban person each month are consumed, as the culture of coffee is so central to everyday life in Cuba.
Different Types Of Cuban Coffee
Espresso, which is what we’re making right now, is the basis for all of these various varieties of Cuban coffee.
- A colada is a 4-ounce Cuban espresso made with espumita (sugar foam) served in a styrofoam cup with little mini plastic cups meant for sharing. To buy one before visiting the nail salon to share with everyone is very common, for instance, in South Florida. True story.
- A cortadito is a shot of unsweetened espresso from Cuba with steamed milk. It’s basically a smaller, taste-adjustably sweetened version of a cafe con Leche.
- A cafe con Leche is unsweetened Espresso from Cuba served with steaming hot whole milk. Typically, cafe con Leche is served at breakfast along with buttered Cuban toast, which the majority of us eat with coffee. Yum!
How To Make Cuban Coffee?
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup finely ground coffee, or the amount needed for the pot
- 1 1/2 cups water, or the amount needed for a pot
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1. For the Moka pot, add water. Enough water should be added to the Moka pot’s bottom chamber to reach the safety release valve.
2. Fill the filter with coffee. To fill the filter to the top, sporadically pour the ground coffee in. With your finger, even them out; do not compress them.
3. Incorporate the filter into the pot. After inserting the filter into the bottom chamber, tighten the collection chamber onto it with the included screw.
4. Heat the Moka pot. Set the Moka pot to medium heat. The coffee will brew too quickly and not be as robust as it should be if the water is heated too quickly.
5. Pour sugar into the cups. During this time, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to each espresso or demitasse cup.
6. Boil the water. Let the water come to a boil. In order for the water to collect as coffee in the top chamber, the steam pressure must be forced to force the water up through the coffee grounds.
7. Coffee and sugar are combined to make espuma. As soon as the brewing is done, turn off the heat under the Moka pot. To make the espuma, add 1 teaspoon of coffee to 1 cup of sugar and stir vigorously. It must have a thick consistency with light foam. Repeat with the second cup.
8. Remaining coffee should be added. The remaining coffee should be poured into the cups and served right away.
Sugar levels: Although traditional Cuban coffee is already very sweet if you prefer it even sweeter, feel free to add more sugar. Create the espuma by mixing equal parts coffee and sugar if you are using more sugar than the recipe calls for.
The espuma, which resembles the crema of espresso, will rise to the surface after being topped with more coffee.
The Bottom Line
With a thick coating of fake crema on top, these detailed instructions will show you how to make the best, sweetest, foamiest Cuban coffee. Make a cup of Cuban coffee by yourself right away!
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