I remember the first time I heard the term “iced coffee”, I was growing up in SoCal at my best friend’s house. Her mom drank iced coffees and it seemed so glamorous and worldly to me, especially because International Coffee was my teenage perception of a specialty coffee drink.
Fast forward to today where we Americans are pretty much obsessed with iced coffee. I’m sure some iconic Seattle coffee chains had something to do with it. Over in Italy, they’re not as obsessed as us but boy do they have us beat on making an amazing iced coffee, known as an Italian shakerato. Even the name is fun.
Shakerato. Makes you want to dance, right?
What is a caffè shakerato?
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A shakerato is a small amount espresso and sweetener shaken vigorously over ice.
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Italian iced coffee specs
Italians aren’t like us. They don’t drink iced coffee all year long (like my daughters do). For them, iced coffees are best enjoyed when it’s hot outside so you’ll see them on menus in the summer months.
The other interesting thing about caffè shakeratos in Italy is that you’ll never see them larger than what we would consider a tall size (about 6 ounces or so). They’re meant to be savored and sipped. Not gulped down in venti cups with a straw.
3 ingredients for Italian iced coffee
Quick list of ingredients and if you drink espresso (or Nespresso as I do):
Simple syrup tip
Make the simple syrup enough again of time that it’s chilled or room temperature. You can place it in a shallow bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes to cool down.
Equipment needed
Like with a creamy espresso martini, you’ll need a cocktail shaker. Nothing too large as you’re only use a few ice cubes and about 5 oz. of liquid.
But make sure that shaker has a lid that seals tight and doesn’t leak. We want to keep all of that liquid gold for your fancy glass!
Best glass used to serve a shakerato
In Italy, you’ll typically find them served in a coupe glass to celebrate all that sweet foam. Here we chose a pretty wine glass but you could use a stemless wine glass too.
Let’s shake things up: caffè shakerato
- Make the simple syrup.
- Mix the caffe shakerato.
tip
Salty and sweet
Sprinkling a pinch of salt over the ice before adding the hot coffee adds balance to the sweetness from the simple syrup. You also could add a tiny bit of demerara sugar for a bit of molasses flavor.
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Super Foamy Italian Shakerato Iced Coffee
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Ingredients
- 10 ice cubes
- 2 oz. simple syrup, ( made from cooking equal parts sugar and water)
- sprinkle of sea salt
- 3 oz. hot espresso
- turbinado sugar, or demerara sugar; any big crystal brown sugar
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.10 ice cubes
- Pour in 2 oz simple syrup over the ice and sprinkle over some sea salt.2 oz. simple syrup, sprinkle of sea salt
- Follow with the hot espresso and close the shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds (set a timer…it’s longer than you think).3 oz. hot espresso
- Strain into a martini or coupe glass and enjoy the creamy foam! Garnish with turbinado sugar.turbinado sugar
