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Chilled coupe glass of caffe shakerato with pale foam cap and lemon twist on a dark wood counter in warm light

Shaken Caffè Shakerato (Italian Iced Espresso)

Espresso, sugar, and ice shaken hard and strained cold into a chilled glass, Italy's answer to iced coffee.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 35
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 espresso, freshly brewed shots (about 120 ml / 4 fl oz total); double shots from a machine or strong pulls from a moka pot
  • 4 tsp granulated sugar (16 g); or to taste, or swap for simple syrup
  • 2 cups ice cubes (about 300 g); standard size cubes
  • 30 ml coffee liqueur or amaretto (optional) for a boozy variation, added after shaking
  • 2 lemon twist (optional garnish) strips; thin peel, no pith

Method
 

  1. Put two coupe or martini glasses in the freezer to chill while you brew the coffee.
  2. Brew 4 shots of espresso, about 120 ml / 4 fl oz total, using a machine or a moka pot on the stovetop.
  3. Stir the sugar into the hot espresso right away until fully dissolved. Let it cool for 2 minutes so it won't melt the ice too fast.
  4. Fill a cocktail shaker with the ice cubes, then pour in the sweetened espresso.
  5. Seal the shaker and shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds, until the outside feels ice-cold and you hear the ice breaking down.
  6. Strain into the chilled glasses right away. A pale tan foam cap, about 1 cm thick, should sit on top.
  7. If making the boozy version, pour 15 ml of coffee liqueur or amaretto into each glass before straining the espresso over it.
  8. Garnish with a lemon twist if using and serve immediately, while the foam is still intact.

Notes

  • Shake as soon as the espresso cools slightly, don't let it sit and go flat.
  • Use a Boston shaker or any tight-lid jar if you don't own a cocktail shaker.
  • Chilled glassware keeps the foam cap intact longer once you pour.
  • Double the batch for two glasses but shake in one go, not split shakes.