frances 
Do you ever wonder how many cups of coffee are consumed in this world daily? The answer is over 2.25 billion cups of coffee.
Those who know me will tell you that although I enjoy my occasional cappuccinos, I react adversely to caffeine because even the tiniest intake will make me jittery and unable to concentrate. They will also tell you that I LOVE my whipped cream. A love that overwhelms my intolerance of caffeine.
Which brings me to my recipe of today, the Einspänner Coffee, one of the many coffees that you will find at a Viennese coffee house. Pronounced ‘Ein•spän•ner’ or how I think of it ‘I-N-SHPINE-NUH’, it means Single-Horse-Carriage, which were the taxis of the past. This Viennese Coffee is made with two shots of espresso and lots and lots of whipped cream.
“The Einspänner is the traditional drink of the Viennese coach drivers as the coffee could be kept warm (and the driver’s hands as well) in the glass with the thick cream topping serving as insulation for the hot beverage below, or quickly consumed, if a fare arrives, by drinking the hot coffee through the cold cream on the top.” – Vienna Concerts
The Einspanner Coffee is different from the Kapuziner coffee which is espresso topped with only a little bit of full cream/whipped cream. The Kapuziner, which originated from Viennese coffee houses in the 1700s, is the forefather of the well known cappuccino of today.
When you’re having your coffee today, try making it a Viennese Einspanner Coffee. And while you’re sipping that Einspanner, imagine you’re sitting on a single-horse-carriage traversing the historic cobblestone streets of Vienna, Austria.
Einspänner Coffee (Viennese Coffee)
YIELD: 1 cup
ACTIVE TIME: 1 minute
TOTAL TIME (active + inactive time): 1 minute
CREDITS: Frances Lam
INGREDIENTS
Coffee
- 60 ml (2 shots) espresso
- cocoa powder to top
- brown sugar as prefered
Whipped Cream
- 100 to 120 ml heavy/whipping cream (aka 35% cream)
- 1.5 tsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Whip the heavy cream until stiff with peaks by hand or using a mixer with the whisk attachment. Add freshly brewed espresso into a cup and top with whipped cream. The ratio of cream to espresso for an Einspanner is 1:1 so not all the cream will be used up—although I certainly won’t discourage you from adding all the of the whipped cream into the drink! To finish, sift on cocoa powder and add brown sugar to your liking.
Looks heavenly 😛
Thank you Emma! It tastes just as heavenly!