Cortadito, is a Cuban espresso topped with steamed milk. It’s by far my new favorite way to drink espresso! Sweet, creamy and full of flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Stove top espresso maker
French coffee press
2-3 tablespoons Cuban espresso {Italian is fine too…I won’t tell}
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
Directions:
Makes 4
1. Prepare your espresso maker according to the manufacturers directions. The amount of grounds used will be specific to your individual pots. Most require 2-3 tablespoons of espresso grounds. Fill the bottom container with water {just below the pressure valve} and then spoon your espresso into the metal filter. Gently smooth the grounds with the back of a spoon. Screw the top back on and place on the stove. Wait for espresso to peculate.
2. Scoop 4 Tbs. of white sugar into a cup. Pour a few drops of hot espresso into the sugar and vigorously mix. This will result in a creamy, light brown paste. Add the remaining espresso to the paste and stir, creating a light brown layer of foam.
^^^
*This is the cheaters way of simulating crema with a stove top espresso maker…not all of us can afford fancy pressurized machines, right? This is the next best thing.
3. Pour your sweet espresso in to tiny cups {fill halfway}.
4. Pour 1 cup of evaporated milk into a microwavable cup. Heat for 30 seconds or until hot. Then pour it into a French press. Pump the filter on the French press a few times to force oxygen into the milk, this will make it thick and frothy — perfect for fine foam.
*If you don’t own a French press, you can stir the milk with a whisk and tap the cup on the counter to get rid of any large bubbles.
5. Pour the hot evaporated milk over the espresso and top with a pinch of cinnamon.
Beware. They are extremely addictive. I may have had 4 in one morning… Maybe I should just make them in a bigger cup? Ehh? No?
I say yes.
P.S. Dan is hooked too.
A little too sweet for my taste, but I have some friends who would LOVE these!!
I just made me one of these. AMAZING. I’m really surprised at how the evaporated milk lost it’s evaporated milk taste. We actually have a fancy espresso maker–Sam’s Club sells the Delonghi Magnifica machine for $350. My dh found an open box return for $250. You just press the button and out the espresso comes. We get Illy from Sur La Table because it’s such great quality. I had Illy espresso in France and loved it. Starbucks is ok, but Illy isn’t as burnt tasting. The machine will grind beans or use powdered espresso. It’s paid for itself within the year since we don’t go out to Starbucks anymore. We love making our espresso drinks. I already like Cuban Espresso–you mix a bit of demerara sugar into the espresso as it perks. It’s really good, but I prefer a bit of milk in my espresso drinks. Dh also got a little electric frother–it heats the milk and whips it for a cappuccino or latte. You should look into this machine because it’s great for an espresso lover. We got ours as an anniversary present. I love your website. Thanks for such a great blog!