Looking for another caffeine fix? Why not make our speedy Amaretti Tiramisu or Salted Caramel Affogato! When I used to teach and come home late and exhausted on Friday nights, my husband would almost immediately hand me a beautiful glass filled with an espresso martini. That was to celebrate the end of yet another long and tiring week and to ensure I wouldn’t fade or worse fall asleep as soon as I settled on a sofa! He usually had plans for our Friday nights. Espresso martini has stuck as our favourite transition treat, marking the end of a work week and the start of weekend relaxation. Espresso Martini is a great cocktail if you are a coffee lover. It’s refreshing, invigorating and plain delicious! Smooth espresso shot plus sweet liqueur aided by the powerful kick of vodka, this cocktail delivers the kick we usually expect of coffee. It wakes us up! Not a bad thing during the busy holiday season.
How do you make it?
The standard recipe consists of a shot of espresso, vodka and a coffee liqueur. There are many variations that use either Kahlua or Baileys. We prefer using Kahlua but any coffee liqueur will do. The proportions for this recipe are 2:1:1, which means two parts vodka, and one part each of coffee liqueur and espresso. I find that measuring with a digital scale is the easiest method, but use whatever is simplest for you. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake well, but not longer than 10 seconds or the ice with break down and dilute the drink. Pour into cold cocktail glasses, through a fine strainer if you have one.
Espresso Martini variations
The beauty of this drink is that it is simple to construct. That means that you can easily modify it according to your taste. Do you like a creamy cocktail? Adding an Irish cream liqueur like Baileys will make this a creamier cocktail. Or you can splash a bit of a chocolate liqueur into the shaker to give it a more decadent taste. A dalgona espresso martini is a fun variation using sugar and instant coffee. Instructions for how to make this are in the notes of the recipe card!
