Irish cream coffee: history and popular recipes

History of coffee creation

Irish Cream coffee is a drink that harmoniously combines coffee and alcohol. This is a dessert that warms you and gives you an amazing charge of positivity.

Irish Cream coffee was first prepared in 1942 by bartender Joe Sheridan, who worked at a restaurant at Foynes Airport. The bartender invited the Americans, who had been waiting a long time for their flight, were tired and cold, to try a drink of their own making. According to him, it was real Irish coffee. Each serving of this wonderful drink contained a little whiskey (to warm the passengers) and was sweetened and topped with cream (to keep the passengers in a good mood). American passengers appreciated the taste of this cocktail.

After the war, Foynes Airport was closed. Bartender Joe Sheridan began working at a restaurant at another airport. He continued to prepare his masterpiece for restaurant visitors, which became very popular. But Irish coffee became famous throughout the world after Sheridan left for America at the suggestion of Jack Kepler, the owner of an American cafe. There, through experimentation, they developed the composition of Irish Cream coffee with ideal proportions. This is how the formula for making this wonderful cocktail came about. The drink was first served to Americans in this form at the Bueno Vista cafe in 1952. Since then it has become popular all over the world.

Recipe with Baileys and milk

The combination of freshly brewed espresso, the delicate creamy taste of Baileys and milk will give the drink an unrivaled taste.

Ingredients:

• espresso – 100 ml;
• Baileys – 40 ml;
• milk (fat content not less than 3.5%) – 50 ml.

How to prepare the drink:

1. Brew espresso according to your usual recipe.
2. Pour hot espresso into a tall glass, add warmed milk.
3. Pour in the liqueur in a thin stream.

The recipe is very simple, and the coffee-liqueur cocktail turns out incredibly tasty and tender.

Drink preparation process

Typically, Irish coffee is served in a glass with a short stem and a small handle, which is made of thick glass. This container makes it possible to prepare coffee correctly, observing the required temperature conditions, and also makes the design original and aesthetically pleasing. Glasses need to be warmed before preparing a drink, since warm glass will help create a temperature balance. Then fresh, just prepared espresso is poured into them in two steps. The cream is pre-cooled. They are placed in a glass using a cold device. If the drink is prepared correctly, its color should be black and white, and it should taste cold-hot. This cocktail is served without a straw, as you need to drink it in small sips.

Why is it so delicious?

The main trump card of Irish coffee is its balance. It is pleasantly hot, but not scalding, sweet, but not cloying, having a cheerful effect, but not too intoxicating. The ideal proportions, invented by Joe Sheridan, give the drink a silky texture and a pleasant aftertaste.

But it all works if you use the right ingredients. Thus, for Irish coffee it is customary to use fresh whipped cream and medium-roast Arabica (Robusta or mixtures with it will make the cocktail too bitter). And, of course, real Irish coffee cannot be made with just any whiskey; you need Irish one. As one of the Spleen songs sang: “All I know about Ireland, mother, is Jameson, Guinness and Connemara.” Choose any of the listed brands – you can’t go wrong.

There is also a nuance with the choice of cream: Delaplane and Keppler were not in vain for a long time, trying to bring the recipe to the ideal. The fact is that regular whipped cream, sold in cans, is not suitable, as it creates a too dense cap that is impossible to drink and must be eaten with a spoon. Plain heavy cream poured into espresso generally immediately mixes with the drink, and when interacting with alcohol it can completely curdle. Therefore, the ideal option is cold cream with a fat content of 20–30%, whipped to an elastic foam. They are not spooned out, but carefully poured into a glass, trying not to disturb the integrity of the layers.

Recipe options

The classic composition of this cocktail necessarily contains coffee, whiskey, whipped cream, and cane sugar. But besides the classic ingredients, you can use a great variety of others, and each time the drink will have a special taste.

For example, those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the addition of ingredients such as cinnamon, cocoa (chocolate), vanilla or cream syrup. This mix will provide the drink with sweetness, viscousness and an extraordinary aroma.

The Irish achieve a soft, delicate and deep taste of coffee by adding not ordinary Irish whiskey, but Irish baileys.

By replacing cane sugar in the classic composition of coffee with regular white sugar or even honey, which is not stirred, you can get a completely original, distinctive taste.

What types of Baileys go well with coffee?

The famous Baileys is made from whiskey with the addition of cream. The strength of the drink is 17%. The liqueur has a soft, creamy taste, has a delicate consistency and goes perfectly with Americano or espresso.

Almost half of all the milk produced in Ireland is used for the legendary Baileys liqueur.

The company that makes Baileys offers several options. Any of your favorite flavors is suitable for making coffee. From time to time, manufacturers experiment and offer new products, for example, mint-flavored liqueur.

But, as a rule, the following types can be found on sale:

• Original Irish Cream - a classic drink with a creamy taste and notes of chocolate and vanilla;
• Orange Truffle – an original combination of citrus flavor with chocolate truffle;
• Chocolat Luxe – high-quality whiskey with the taste of expensive Belgian chocolate and the addition of selected cream;
• Coffee Flavor is an elite alcoholic drink with pleasant notes of freshly roasted coffee beans.

Of course, it is advisable to prepare Coffee Baileys using natural coffee. Only real coffee beans can reveal the richness of taste and complement the exquisite creamy liqueur.

Healthy drink

Be sure to try Irish Cream at least once. Coffee beans, according to experts, are very healthy, as they contain vitamins, microelements and organic acids. But one of the most useful properties of this drink is the presence of caffeine, which is a good stimulant and stimulant for the body.

However, you need to consume the cocktail in reasonable doses, then it will have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, heart function, and improve digestion. It is especially useful to take natural ground coffee (Irish Cream) in the morning.

The benefits and harms of coffee with Baileys

Many people believe that this combination is harmful to health. In principle, there is some truth in this statement. But the drink can also have positive effects on the body if you drink it in moderation and use quality ingredients.

It has been scientifically proven that drinking several cups of natural coffee prevents the development of atherosclerosis. An invigorating drink energizes, gives strength, and helps you wake up early in the morning. But you need to remember that coffee should not be consumed by people who suffer from hypertension. It is also advisable to avoid the drink if you have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

When it comes to alcohol, society is divided into two camps. Some believe that moderate consumption of good alcoholic beverages will not cause harm. Others, on the contrary, argue that alcohol in any quantity is harmful to health. However, according to scientific research, people who drank high-quality alcoholic beverages in small doses were less susceptible to problems with blood vessels and heart.

Classic Baileys coffee is made from natural coffee with the addition of cream liqueur. Each ingredient has its own advantages and disadvantages, but in moderation the drink will not cause harm to health.

For those who have problems with the cardiovascular system, it is advisable to refrain from drinking coffee with alcohol.

Calorie content

The nutritional value of the drink depends on the proportions and additional components used in the recipe. If you take 100g of Coffee Baileys prepared according to the traditional recipe, it will contain about 88.6 kcal.

Irish cream flavored coffee

Due to the fact that Irish Cream coffee contains alcohol, this drink is not available to everyone. In addition, the ingredients necessary for its preparation are not always at hand.

In order to make the taste of Irish coffee available to everyone, manufacturers have created a wonderful alternative drink, which is called Irish Cream coffee. It is offered in the form of grains, and can also be ground and instant. In addition, a drink has been created that has a reduced caffeine content. Even children can drink it in this form.

Manufacturers flavor Irish Cream coffee at the time of roasting. For this, high-quality oil-based flavorings are used to achieve an aroma that harmoniously conveys all the nuances of the drink’s bouquet.

The taste of Irish Cream dessert coffee is quite rich, a little creamy. And the smell! It contains the aroma of Irish liqueur, heather honey, cream, and chocolate.

Irish Cream coffee is prepared in a Turk, filter coffee maker, French press or coffee machine, depending on its type. It’s good to add fresh pastries, muffins or cookies to the drink. Irish Cream coffee can be consumed either hot or cold.

How to make Irish coffee: classic recipe

The International Bartenders Association offers the following Irish coffee

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Ingredients:

120 ml coffee, 50 ml Irish whiskey, 50 ml chilled cream, 1 teaspoon sugar.

Prepare coffee in any convenient way (in an espresso machine, French press, cezve, etc.), pour it into a preheated glass or cup. Then add the whiskey and sugar (or simple syrup), and then pour the cooled whipped cream onto the surface of the coffee using the back of a spoon.

Irish Cream Coffee

This is a light and sweet variety of Irish coffee made with Irish Cream or Baileys Irish Cream. Liqueurs are less strong than whiskey, so the cocktail is not as boozy. This gives the coffee a creamier texture.

Ingredients:

160ml coffee, 40ml Irish Cream or Baileys liqueur, 1 teaspoon sugar, whipped cream, cinnamon or grated chocolate if desired.

The cooking process is the same as in the original recipe, and the top of the cream can be decorated with grated chocolate or cinnamon.

Irish coffee without alcohol

Although “Irish coffee without alcohol” sounds like an oxymoron, a recipe for making it exists and is suitable for those who prefer a sober lifestyle (or for children who really like whipped cream and try to steal your glass).

Ingredients:

160 ml coffee, 20 ml non-alcoholic Irish Cream syrup or orange syrup, 50 ml chilled cream, 1 teaspoon sugar.

The preparation process is absolutely the same, but instead of whiskey or liqueur, syrup is added to the glass, which, if desired, can be replaced with freshly squeezed orange juice. In this case, you should monitor the cream more closely: if it begins to sink to the bottom of the glass, it may curdle due to interaction with citrus juice.

Irish iced coffee

An option when you really love Irish coffee, but want to cool down rather than warm up. Be careful: this is a more advanced recipe for experienced bartenders.

Ingredients:

170 ml coffee, 30 ml Irish whiskey, 40 ml chilled cream, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3-4 ice cubes.

Prepare coffee in a coffee machine or alternatively, and cool it at room temperature. While the coffee is cooling, mix the sugar and alcohol in a glass and light it to achieve a light caramel effect, then cool once the sugar has dissolved. Mix whiskey and coffee, add ice to the cocktail, pour whipped cream on top.

The easiest homemade Irish coffee recipe

If you are a long way from a store with real Irish whiskey, and you have nothing to whip cream with, then you can make a light version of Irish coffee from what you have at home. It is advisable to have grain or ground coffee at home (instant coffee will definitely not work), cognac, rum or other strong alcohol (even vodka) and cream in a can from the nearest supermarket.

Not according to the canon, this recipe contains only cream: it will create a cap that will have to be eaten with a spoon. But these are the costs of cooking at home.

Ice coffee with Baileys

On a hot summer day you want to refresh yourself with a tonic drink. Iced coffee with the addition of cream liqueur is perfect for these purposes.

What you will need:

• 200 ml fat milk;
• 100 ml Baileys;
• ice cubes;
• 200 ml freshly brewed espresso.

Step-by-step recipe for iced coffee with the addition of Baileys liqueur:

1. Brew espresso, let it brew a little.
2. Shake the cooled drink in a shaker or mixer along with milk, liqueur and ice.
3. Pour the cocktail into glasses. Enjoy a refreshing mix.

Recipe with orange juice

We offer a recipe for an original coffee-liqueur cocktail with a tonic citrus taste. Residents of warm countries like to drink espresso with liqueur and orange juice, sitting on the ocean shore and enjoying a beautiful sunrise.

To prepare the drink you need the following ingredients:

• strong espresso – 150 ml;
• Baileys - a few spoons;
• orange juice – 2-3 tbsp. l.;
• lemon zest – 5 g;
• a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Cooking steps:

1. Brew espresso in a Turk and let it brew.
2. Grate the lemon zest using a special grater. Make sure that no particles of white pulp get into the drink, otherwise they will add bitterness to the cocktail.
3. Squeeze the juice from the orange (it is advisable not to use store-bought juice in bags). Add grated lemon zest to the juice.
4. Pour the brewed espresso into a cup, add orange juice and zest.
5. Pour in Baileys, you can also add a couple of spoons of orange liqueur.
6. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.

On cold winter evenings, you can also add cinnamon to your cocktail. In this case, you will get a drink reminiscent of mulled wine.