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The best Irish coffee ever!

ANTOINETTE KELLY

IrishCentral.com

Published Sunday, November 29, 2009, 8:03 PM

Updated Friday, March 12, 2010, 8:05 AM

75ml/3fl oz double cream, well chilled

2 tbsps light muscovado sugar

2 tbsps whiskey

2 tbsps Baileys

2 tbsps Kahúla (coffee liqueur)

300ml/11fl oz freshly brewed piping-hot espresso coffee

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, to decorate

I've perfected this recipe over time and believe it really is the best-ever Irish coffee. Heat the glasses, if you can be bothered (to keep the coffee hot for longer), by pouring boiling water over them from a kettle and turning them carefully so that they do not crack. Or you could take glasses straight from the dishwasher while still hot. Serves two.

Place the cream in a bowl and whip lightly, then chill until needed. Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar over the base of the frying pan and heat for one minute, without stirring -- the sugar will caramelise. Pour in the whiskey and quickly light with a match or flambé -- the sugar will seize and harden, but don't worry as it will melt again once the flames die down. Stir in the Baileys and Kahúla and cook over a high heat for three to four minutes until smooth, stirring constantly to help the sugar dissolve.

Divide the alcohol mixture between two hefty, thick-stemmed glasses (both about 250ml/9fl oz in capacity) then carefully pour in the coffee. Then, over the back of a metal spoon, carefully pour a layer of cream on top (the spoon trick really is worth doing as it helps prevent the cream from sinking). Add a tiny grating of nutmeg and serve at once.

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Posted by Greenfire on Mar 13, 2010, 09:30 PM EST

Sounds good, but give me a cuppa IRISH coffee!

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Posted by GuinnessGrrl on Mar 12, 2010, 04:07 PM EST

Sounds like it would good, but it's no more an Irish Coffee than a cup of coffee with that Irish Creme coffee creamer in it!

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Posted by DublinDeg on Mar 12, 2010, 11:35 AM EST

Kahlua??!!??? And you still call this Irish Coffee???

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Posted by sheiladd on Mar 11, 2010, 09:19 AM EST

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT RECIPES ! I HAVE PRINTED THEM OUT AND WILL SHARE THEM ON FB W/ MY FRIENDS

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Posted by Tami531 on Feb 19, 2010, 09:10 AM EST

My mother and I just loved the Irish coffee while we were visiting in Ireland! The problem is, we don't have the same type of cream in the United States. Whipping cream/heavy cream is just not quite the same as the yellowish, softer cream in Ireland. :(

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Posted by kennymcg on Dec 14, 2009, 07:13 PM EST

oh YEAH !!!!!

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Soda bread is one of the most popular types of Irish food. In soda bread, baking soda is used for leavening instead of yeast. Soda bread is traditionally made up of flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk. Other possible ingredients are raisins, egg or various forms of nuts. Soda bread can dry out quickly and is typically good for two to three days; it is best served warm or toasted. Irish food features other traditional bread as well such as blaa, which is a doughy, white bread bun. Blaa is a versatile Irish food, since it may be eaten at breakfast with butter (the usual form) or at other times of the day with a wide range of fillings, such as ham. Another traditional Irish food is boxty, a potato pancake. There are many versions of boxty, but all contain raw potatoes that have been finely grated. The most popular version uses flour, baking soda and buttermilk, and sometimes an egg. Almost all versions of boxty are served fried. Historically, the potato has been very important to Irish food, since it came to be the main crop of the poor, which meant that if there was a bad harvest, the poor would not have enough to eat. Potato blight caused the Great Irish Famine of the late 1840s. Some Irish food is meant to be eaten for dessert. Goody is made by boiling bread in milk with sugar and spices. Goody is eaten on St. John’s Eve, which occurs around the time of the summer solstice. In recent years, shellfish dishes have become a bigger part of Irish food. An oyster festival is held in Galway every year. One example of an Irish shellfish dish is Dublin Lawyer, which is lobster cooked in whiskey and cream. In recent years, Irish food has also come to include fresh vegetables and handmade cheeses. These days, Irish beer no longer necessarily means Guinness, since 63% of the beer now sold in Ireland is lager. Stout, including Guinness stout, accounts for 32%, while ale makes up the remaining 5% of Irish beer. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Irish beer was made at over 200 breweries in Ireland. Today, there are about twelve breweries. Irish beer historically did not have hops, since hops are not native to Ireland. The famous Irish beer Guinness stout is made from water, malt, barley, hops and brewer’s yeast. Guinness gets its dark color and taste by flaking some of the barley, Flaking means steaming and rolling. The color of Guinness is a dark shade of ruby. This Irish beer claims to have fewer calories than skim milk or orange juice. Guiness was stronger in the nineteenth century. Another Irish beer is Harp Lager. Harp was first produced in 1960. One of Harp’s advertising slogans was “Harp stays sharp.” Smithwick’s is Irish beer in the red ale style. The original brewery for Smithwick’s was on the site of a Franciscan abbey where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century. One variation of this Irish beer is Smithwick’s Draught, which has a ruby red tone with a stable, slightly thin head. Smithwick’s Draught is produced using hops and special roasted, malted barley. Its texture is smooth and refined, with a bitter and complex finish. Another variation of this Irish beer is Kilkenny Cream Ale, which is similar to Smithwick’s Draught, but with a stronger, more bitter taste and a cream head reminiscent of Guinness.

The best Irish coffee ever!

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