How to make the perfect Irish Coffee
It’s St Patrick’s Day today, so it seems the perfect day to enjoy one of the finest ways to drink a coffee. An Irish coffee, which allegedly was first made for an American travelling through Shannon Airport and in a hurry. But, that aside, all you need is good coffee, good ‘Irish’ Whiskey (not Scotch – or you’ll be making a Scottish coffee – leave that to St Andrew’s Day perhaps on 30 November) and whipped cream.
So here are the instructions for a perfect Irish Coffee on St Paddy’s Day.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your mug, then fill with coffee. Pour hot water into a mug or heatproof glass to take the chill off. Pour out the water. This will also prevent your glass from cracking. Fill the mug about 3/4 full with the coffee.
- Add sweetener. Add the granulated and brown sugars and stir until fully dissolved.
- Add Irish whiskey. Add the whiskey and stir to incorporate.
- Top with whipped cream. If using lightly whipped cream, pour it slowly over a warm spoon onto the coffee, being careful not to break the coffee’s surface. This takes some practice. A more foolproof way to not break the surface is to whip the cream a bit more and dollop it gently on top. Drink while hot!
RECIPE NOTES
Lightly whipped will give you a frothy cream collar on top. If you want to pile the cream high, you’ll need to whip it to medium-stiff peaks.