How to Make Cuban Coffee
Choose your coffee beans., Fill a moka pot with coffee and water., Heat over medium-low., Measure sugar into a deep cup., Pour the first drops of coffee onto your sugar., Whip the sugar and coffee together vigorously., Pour the rest of the coffee...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your coffee beans.
Cuban style coffee is usually a powerful, aromatic Arabica roast, most commonly found abroad from the brands Bustelo, Pilon, and La Llave.If grinding beans yourself for a traditional moka pot, grind to a slightly coarse powder, not as fine as you would for espresso. -
Step 2: Fill a moka pot with coffee and water.
Traditionally, Cubans make cafecito using a stovetop moka pot, which creates a dark, rich brew similar to espresso.
Fill the basket of the moka pot with the coffee and level it off with your finger, but do not tamp it down.
Pour water into the lower pot, up to the safety valve.
An espresso machine will also work.
You can use any coffeemaker in a pinch, but the result won't be as strong as a traditional Cuban coffee.
Some brewers like to preheat the water in a kettle to just below boiling.
This will extract the coffee faster and prevent the grounds from overheating., Screw the parts of the moka pot together and place it on the stove burner on medium-low heat.
Leave the lid open so you can see inside. , The key to Cuban coffee is the foam made from whipping sugar and coffee together, called espuma or espumita.
Traditional Cuban families may use as much as 1 to 1½ tablespoons (15–22 mL) sugar per espresso shot (one demitasse cup).
Many people nowadays prefer something somewhat less sweet, as low as 1–2 tsp (5–10 mL) sugar instead.Raw sugar is traditional, but granulated white sugar will work fine., As soon as your moka pot releases enough coffee to cover the base, pour just enough onto the sugar to moisten it.
It's important to do this right away, so don't let your moka pot out of sight.It's better to add too little coffee than too much.
If you end up with a liquid, try again with a new cup. , Beat the coffee into the sugar with a metal spoon as hard as you can for two or three minutes.
At first, this should be a dry, dark paste.
As you beat in air, the mixture will become a light caramel color and foam slightly., Once your coffee is ready, pour it slowly over the sugar paste.
Stir until a brown foam (the espumita) rises to the top.
Pour the coffee carefully into espresso cups, without breaking apart the espumita.
You can spoon the foam directly onto each cup to make sure everyone can satisfy their sweet tooth. , Here are a few traditional ways to drink Cuban coffee:
Cafecito — black, with no additions besides the espumita Cortadito — blended with an equal amount of milk Cafe con leche — mixed with steamed milk to taste, and sometimes with a little salt and butter -
Step 3: Heat over medium-low.
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Step 4: Measure sugar into a deep cup.
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Step 5: Pour the first drops of coffee onto your sugar.
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Step 6: Whip the sugar and coffee together vigorously.
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Step 7: Pour the rest of the coffee over your mixture.
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Step 8: Serve as desired.
Detailed Guide
Cuban style coffee is usually a powerful, aromatic Arabica roast, most commonly found abroad from the brands Bustelo, Pilon, and La Llave.If grinding beans yourself for a traditional moka pot, grind to a slightly coarse powder, not as fine as you would for espresso.
Traditionally, Cubans make cafecito using a stovetop moka pot, which creates a dark, rich brew similar to espresso.
Fill the basket of the moka pot with the coffee and level it off with your finger, but do not tamp it down.
Pour water into the lower pot, up to the safety valve.
An espresso machine will also work.
You can use any coffeemaker in a pinch, but the result won't be as strong as a traditional Cuban coffee.
Some brewers like to preheat the water in a kettle to just below boiling.
This will extract the coffee faster and prevent the grounds from overheating., Screw the parts of the moka pot together and place it on the stove burner on medium-low heat.
Leave the lid open so you can see inside. , The key to Cuban coffee is the foam made from whipping sugar and coffee together, called espuma or espumita.
Traditional Cuban families may use as much as 1 to 1½ tablespoons (15–22 mL) sugar per espresso shot (one demitasse cup).
Many people nowadays prefer something somewhat less sweet, as low as 1–2 tsp (5–10 mL) sugar instead.Raw sugar is traditional, but granulated white sugar will work fine., As soon as your moka pot releases enough coffee to cover the base, pour just enough onto the sugar to moisten it.
It's important to do this right away, so don't let your moka pot out of sight.It's better to add too little coffee than too much.
If you end up with a liquid, try again with a new cup. , Beat the coffee into the sugar with a metal spoon as hard as you can for two or three minutes.
At first, this should be a dry, dark paste.
As you beat in air, the mixture will become a light caramel color and foam slightly., Once your coffee is ready, pour it slowly over the sugar paste.
Stir until a brown foam (the espumita) rises to the top.
Pour the coffee carefully into espresso cups, without breaking apart the espumita.
You can spoon the foam directly onto each cup to make sure everyone can satisfy their sweet tooth. , Here are a few traditional ways to drink Cuban coffee:
Cafecito — black, with no additions besides the espumita Cortadito — blended with an equal amount of milk Cafe con leche — mixed with steamed milk to taste, and sometimes with a little salt and butter
About the Author
Kimberly Miller
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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