Café Cubano

The sweet Cuban shot, also called a cafecito: the first drops of coffee beaten with sugar into a pale espuma, then the rest poured through it.

Method

Espresso

Typical volume

40 ml

Caffeine

85 mg

A reference figure for the drink, not a measurement of your cup.

Café Cubano preparation

Brew 60ml of strong coffee in a moka pot with finely ground dark roast.
Put 2 tsp of white sugar in a metal cup.
As the pot starts to pour, take the first 5-10ml and beat it into the sugar for 60-90 seconds until pale and thick - this is the espuma.
Pour the rest of the coffee in and stir once; the espuma rises to the top.
Serve in 40ml thimble cups.

The espuma is the drink's signature - beat it hard and long or it stays grainy. Sugar goes in at the start, never at the table.