Make it right away because it’s incredibly simple: the Mexican Carajillo coffee cocktail
When it comes to coffee cocktails, there are quite a few variations and experiences or associations with them: think of the heyday of Irish Coffee, the current craze for the Espresso Martini, but also how you can drink a carajillo in virtually any authentic Spanish bar. And that carajillo is what we need to talk about for a moment.
Because sometimes an originally simple invention suddenly gets turned into the ultimate trendy thing you have to eat/drink/own, often with adjustments to the original.
Old and new carajillo
Is that necessarily a bad thing? Not at all. Often, things can coexist beautifully, such as the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ carajillo. Perhaps we should first brush up on our carajillo knowledge.
Incredibly simple coffee tipple
But that’s easily done, because a carajillo is nothing more than a small, strong coffee with a splash of spirits underneath. It can be brandy, rum or cognac – as long as it’s easy to make and you can knock it back in any dusty or trendy Spanish bar. Originally, though, it was typically something to drink in the morning or during the day.
Hip after dinner
But the evening scene is discovering the carajillo too. At least in Mexico, where it’s becoming increasingly popular to order a round of carajillos after dinner in a restaurant. The spirit used in it? Spanish liqueur Licor 43…
Licor 43 is the favorite
Well, we at FavorFlav absolutely love that! (And French toast, and apple turnovers). The whole concept of coffee with a splash of Licor 43 has actually been a Monday-morning ritual in the (shared with Amayzine) newsroom for years, so this doesn’t surprise us at all. But we’re more than happy to see it being embraced on the other side of the world too!
Ice-cold and extra festive
A great twist on this new Mexican variant is that you drink it shaken with ice, which instantly allows it to enter the cocktail (nightlife) world. You make a Mexican Carajillo by simply shaking one measure of espresso with one measure of Licor 43 and ice cubes in a shaker; if you shake for around 10 seconds, you should get a lovely layer of foam in the glass. Strain through the cocktail strainer into a glass with ice cubes and, if you want to be fancy, garnish it with a curl of orange peel. Cheers!
Source: Robb Report
Also read:
- The very best: tiramisu with Licor 43 (and how to make it)
- Never order it again: Espresso Martini is the most irritating cocktail of all
- Licor 43 launches new Licor 43 Chocolate
