I probably should have posted this back for St. Patrick’s Day, but I really don’t think that Irish coffee should only be a once-a-year treat. The drink is so tasty that, while it might be best for special occasions, it is certainly worthy of more than just a single holiday.
Irish coffee is the label applied to hot coffee that is enhanced with a shot of Irish whiskey and a bit of sugar to sweeten everything up. Since it usually gets served as an after dinner drink, often in lieu of dessert, lightly sweetened whipped cream is almost always used to finish off the drink’s presentation.
I do my Irish coffee a little bit differently than tradition dictates. I prefer to drink my coffee black, so I don’t particularly care for sugar in my coffee even though I don’t mind a bit of sweetness. So, I use a shot of Baileys Irish Cream to sweeten up the drink, take the edge off both the coffee and the whisky and add another layer of flavor to everything. I use equal parts whisky and Baileys (I have a preference for Baileys with a Hint of Caramel, if you can find it in your area) and alter the amounts to suit (a) the time of day and (b) the size of the glass I’m working with. And I never forget the whipped cream.
Irish Coffee
hot, freshly brewed coffee
1 part whiskey
1 part Irish Cream liquor
sugar (optional)
whipped cream
Pour hot coffee into a large mug, leaving some room at the top before the rim. Add in one part (usually one ounce) whiskey and one part Irish Cream and stir. Add some sugar, to taste, if you like your coffee sweeter.
Top mug with lightly sweetened whipped cream and serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving.
What do you think?