If you’ve left your house and dined at a restaurant in the past few months, you’ll know that the Espresso Martini is having a major moment.
People are staying CAFFEINATED and throwing caution to the wind when it comes to stimulating their digestive system at the bar. Have you ever seen the line for the women’s washroom at a bar? Really tempting fate with those four espresso martinis.
Last summer I was dining on the patio at one of Ottawa’s greatest cocktail destinations, Riviera, and saw a couple order a pair of espresso martinis instead of one of the carefully curated, handcrafted cocktails designed by the inimitable Stephen Flood who helms the beautiful brass bar at the Sparks Street fine dining establishment.
It took every ounce of my self-restraint to walk over to their table and tell them to see themselves out. Don’t get me wrong, the espresso martini is a tasty drink but ordering it off-menu when there is an entire array of divine tipples on offer is just bad form. Call me a snob.
Because I refuse to be basic, I’ll call your espresso martini and raise you in flavour.
This Hazelnut Espresso Martini swaps out vodka for a flavourful, smooth Venezuelan rum that’s been aged eight years. Rum-based Tia Maria coffee liqueur is a natural choice instead of Kahlua in this recipe. Nutella lovers will approve of the addition of Frangelico, hazelnut liqueur, to add a nutty complexity to this particular cocktail.
This is particularly well-suited to decadent brunches and with the long weekend coming up, you’ll have more opportunities to shake this up later this week.
Tune into my Instagram stories tonight at 5 p.m. as I’ll provide a step-by-step walkthrough on how to shake up this tasty drink.
Hazelnut Espresso Martini
The espresso martini is having a major moment but this spin on the classic features flavourful aged Venezuelan rum and hazelnut liqueur.
- 1½ oz Diplomatico Mantuano Rum
- ½ oz Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
- ½ oz coffee liqueur
- ¼ oz demerara syrup
- 1½ oz espresso/cold brew concentrate
- Garnish: 3 coffee beans
- 1 cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup water
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Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled.
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Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
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Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans.
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Combine Demerara sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
