Amaretto Coffee
Hot coffee with amaretto stirred through, under lightly whipped cream and a scatter of toasted almonds. It tastes of marzipan and coffee, and it needs no sugar because the liqueur brings its own.
At a glance
- Coffee : amaretto
- 4:1
- Active time
- 4 min
- Total time
- 6 min
- Makes
- 1 glass
- Serve
- Hot, with cream
- Kit
- Heatproof glass
Ingredients
Note: Toast the almonds in a dry pan for two or three minutes until golden. They burn fast once they start.
Method
-
Toast the almonds
Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat, shaking, until golden. Tip them onto a plate.
2 to 3 minutes -
Amaretto and coffee
Warm the glass with hot water, empty it, add the amaretto and hot coffee, and stir.
-
Cream and almonds
Float the lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon and scatter the toasted almonds on top.
Why this works
Amaretto's flavour is mostly benzaldehyde, the compound that gives bitter almonds, apricot kernels and marzipan their smell. Many amarettos are actually made from apricot kernels rather than almonds, for that reason. Benzaldehyde pairs well with coffee because it is sweet and aromatic without being fruity, and it reads as marzipan against coffee's roasted bitterness.
The liqueur is sweet, usually around a quarter sugar by weight, which is why the drink needs no extra sugar and why the cream floats. Dissolved sugar makes the coffee denser than the lightly whipped cream, the same principle as an Irish coffee. Four parts coffee to one of amaretto keeps it a coffee. Much more liqueur and it becomes syrupy.
Toasting the almonds is worth the two minutes. Heat drives the Maillard reaction on their surface, which turns their mild, milky flavour into a deep, roasted nuttiness that echoes both the coffee and the liqueur. Raw almonds on top add crunch but very little flavour.
The drink is closely related to the Italian habit of finishing a meal with an espresso and an amaretto on the side, and to the caffè corretto, where a splash of liqueur goes straight into the cup. This version is the long, creamy, after-dinner form.
Variations
- Short: 15 ml of amaretto in a single espresso, a corretto all'amaretto.
- With Irish cream: half amaretto, half Irish cream, for a creamier drink.
- Iced: amaretto and cold brew over ice with a splash of milk.
- Non-alcoholic: 15 ml almond syrup and a drop of almond extract.
Contains a measure of liqueur. Not for children, drivers, or anyone avoiding alcohol. Contains nuts.
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Questions
How much amaretto do you put in coffee?
About 35 ml in 140 ml of hot coffee. Amaretto is sweet, so no sugar is needed.
Is amaretto made from almonds?
Often from apricot kernels, which share the same marzipan flavour compound, benzaldehyde. Some brands use almonds.
Does amaretto coffee need sugar?
No. The liqueur is sweet enough, and its sugar helps the cream float.
Is amaretto safe for people with nut allergies?
Not reliably. Even kernel-based amarettos can carry allergen warnings, and this recipe adds almonds on top. Avoid it for anyone with a nut allergy.