Irish Coffee
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Irish whiskey — 45 ml (1 1/2 oz)
- Hot brewed coffee — 150 ml (5 oz)
- Brown sugar — 1-2 tsp
- Heavy cream, lightly whipped — 30 ml (1 oz)
Method
- Warm the glass with hot water, then discard.
- Add the brown sugar and hot coffee, stirring to dissolve.
- Add the whiskey and stir.
- Gently float the lightly whipped cream on top by pouring over the back of a spoon.
Description: A warming, after-dinner drink that layers cold, lightly whipped cream over hot, whiskey-spiked sweetened coffee.
Cultural Background: Created by chef Joe Sheridan at Foynes Port in Ireland in the 1940s to warm weary transatlantic flying-boat passengers; popularised in the US after a 1952 San Francisco Chronicle travel piece.
Tips: Whip the cream only lightly — it should be pourable, not stiff, so it floats rather than sinks or clumps.
Variations: A dash of maple syrup instead of brown sugar gives it a different warmth.
Serving Suggestion: Serve immediately while the coffee is fully hot and the cream is freshly floated.
Nutrition: Approx. 220 kcal per serving
FAQs:
Q: Why does the cream float instead of sinking?
A: Pouring lightly whipped cream slowly over an inverted spoon spreads it thin enough to sit on the surface tension of the coffee.
- Irish whiskey — 45 ml (1 1/2 oz)
- Hot brewed coffee — 150 ml (5 oz)
- Brown sugar — 1-2 tsp
- Heavy cream, lightly whipped — 30 ml (1 oz)
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