This Irish coffee recipe is the real deal, and is sure to get you in the mood for St. Patrick's Day festivities. I started with the Buena Vista Irish coffee recipe, but tweaked it to my own tastes. And my oh my, is it tasty.
I had my very first Irish coffee at The Buena Vista, the San Francisco bar that brought the drink to America.
The views, the coffee, the weather--everything was absolutely perfect, and though I don't usually even drink coffee, I've always remembered the Irish coffee fondly, and wanted to try making it for myself at home.
Food and Wine's excellent article with the Buena Vista Irish coffee recipe was the perfect place to start, and gave me all of the basic information.
Irish Coffee Recipe:
- 1 1/3 ounces Irish whiskey
- 6 ounces freshly brewed coffee
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- heavy whipping cream, to top the drink
The first step is to make your coffee, and I have to just mention that I'm a recent convert to electric kettles. Every rental house we stayed at in the UK had one, and it was so fast and easy to use, that I decided I had to get one for myself once we came home.
We (or I should say my husband, the actual coffee drinker in the family) always make coffee in a French press. It's so foolproof and easy that even I can do it, when necessary.
Whipping Cream for Irish Coffee:
- While brewing the coffee, whip the heavy whipping cream slightly in a blender. We're not trying to make full-up whipped cream, just give the cream a little more air and body so it will float nicely on top of the coffee. This happens very quickly in a blender.
- You could certainly also put the heavy cream in a bowl and whip it for a few minutes with a whisk.
The Buena Vista uses sugar cubes, but I prefer to use two teaspoons of brown sugar. I just love the extra depth of flavor brown sugar gives. Stir together the sugar, coffee, and whiskey until the sugar has dissolved. Carefully spoon the lightly whipped cream on the top of the drink. You can sprinkle the cream lightly with some cocoa powder, if you'd like.
My local Trader Joe's has potted shamrocks for sale right now (Oxalis), and I looked it up, and they're an edible plant! So clearly shamrocks are the perfect garnish for my Irish coffee! I think I'm going to put some in our salads this week, too, just for fun. I wonder if the girls will notice?