Carajillo
Carajilloka-ra-HEE-yo
A short, cold, foamy coffee cocktail, sweet with vanilla and citrus from Licor 43 and bitter from a fresh double espresso. In Mexico it is the drink of the moment. In Spain it is a working man's breakfast with brandy in it.
At a glance
- Espresso : liqueur
- 1:1
- Active time
- 3 min
- Total time
- 4 min
- Makes
- 1 glass
- Serve
- Over ice
- Kit
- Espresso + shaker
Ingredients
Note: For the Spanish hot carajillo, swap the Licor 43 for 25 ml of brandy, rum or anís and add it to a single espresso in a small glass. No ice.
Method
-
Chill the glass
Put a short rocks glass in the freezer, or fill it with ice and water while you work.
-
Liqueur and ice in the shaker
Fill the shaker with ice and pour in the Licor 43.
-
Hot espresso straight in
Pull the double espresso and pour it into the shaker while it is still hot. Seal it immediately.
Hot coffee hitting ice is what makes the foam. A cold shot shakes flat.
25 to 30 seconds -
Shake hard
Shake as hard as you can for ten to fifteen seconds, until the tin is painfully cold.
Shake 15 seconds -
Strain over fresh ice
Strain into the cold glass over one large cube. The foam should sit on top in a thick pale layer. Serve at once.
Why this works
The foam is espresso doing what it does in a caffè shakerato or a freddo espresso. Hot espresso carries emulsified oils and dissolved gas. Shake it hard with ice and the rapid drop in temperature firms those oils around the air being forced in, building a dense, stable foam that lasts several minutes. Licor 43's sugar thickens the liquid and slows the foam draining. Chill the coffee before shaking and the effect largely disappears.
The one to one ratio is deliberate. Licor 43 is around 31 percent alcohol and very sweet, flavoured with vanilla and citrus. Equal espresso balances the sugar with bitterness so that it drinks like a bittersweet cocktail rather than a dessert. Go much lighter on the coffee and it becomes cloying.
The Spanish carajillo is a different drink. It is a single hot espresso with a measure of brandy, rum or anís, served in a small glass, often in the morning. The quemado version flames the spirit first with sugar, lemon peel and a few coffee beans before the coffee goes in, which burns off some alcohol and caramelises the sugar.
The name's origin is unknown. The most repeated story says Spanish troops in colonial Cuba drank coffee with rum for coraje, courage, and coraje became carajillo. It is a nice story with nothing in particular to support it. What is documented is the Mexican version's rise. Shaken with Licor 43, it became one of the most ordered drinks in Mexico in the late 2010s and has since spread through bars in the United States and Spain.
Variations
- Carajillo español: a single hot espresso with 25 ml of brandy in a small glass.
- Carajillo quemado: the spirit flamed with sugar, lemon peel and coffee beans before the coffee goes in.
- Carajillo de anís: with anís, common in Catalonia and Valencia.
- Built, not shaken: espresso poured over Licor 43 and ice in the glass, layered and stirred at the table. Common in Mexico too, and less foamy.
This is a full-strength cocktail with a double espresso in it. The quemado version involves flaming spirit: light it in a heatproof glass, away from anything flammable, never pour more spirit onto a flame, and let it go out before adding the coffee.
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Questions
What is in a Mexican carajillo?
Licor 43 and a fresh double espresso shaken hard over ice and strained over fresh ice, usually in equal parts.
What is a Spanish carajillo?
A hot espresso with a measure of brandy, rum or anís in a small glass, often drunk in the morning or after lunch. It is not shaken and not served cold.
Can I make a carajillo without Licor 43?
The Mexican version depends on it, and there is no close substitute. A vanilla liqueur with a strip of orange peel in the shaker gets you part of the way. The Spanish version uses brandy or rum anyway.
Why does my carajillo not foam?
The espresso was not hot enough, or the shake was too gentle. Pour the shot straight from the machine into the shaker and shake as hard as you can.
How strong is a carajillo?
With 50 ml of Licor 43 it is roughly a single standard cocktail in alcohol, plus a double espresso of caffeine. It is not a light drink.