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Cocktail History
The Café Amore is a coffee cocktail that is believed to have been created in Paris, France. Although the recipe varies depending on the French café, this version published in the book Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis is based on the classic, which calls for hot coffee poured over Cognac and amaretto and is topped with whipped cream and almonds.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Coffee: This is a beverage made from roasted coffee beans and water. We used medium roast coffee.
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. We used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac because it has a rich mouthfeel and a delightful brandy spice with notes of peach, almond, and cinnamon. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Amaretto Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Italy with almonds, spices, and alcohol. We used Di Amore Amaretto Liqueur because it has a strong almond flavor and a smooth texture. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Amaretto Syrup in place of the amaretto liqueur.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy. We used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping because it offers easier application than making whipped cream at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Grated Almond: This is a seed. We used almonds from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Coffee Maker: This brews hot coffee. We used the Breville Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. We used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Tasting Notes
The Café Amore features the aroma of almond, sweet cream, and nut and a fairly alcohol-forward taste of coffee initially that finished with a nutty accent and a brandy burn.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We were aligned in our opinions of this drink: it’s tasty but not much more than a somewhat boozy coffee. We’d make it again as an alternative to Irish coffee on a cold night and would absolutely love to sip one whenever we finally make it to Paris for a visit, but we probably won’t whip it up at our home bar again fairly often unless it’s requested by a friend.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This nutty take on Irish coffee is pretty great on paper because the flavor combination is a definite win; that said, in my personal opinion, the recipe we found needed a bit of sugar to bump up the sweetness so we added simple syrup, and that made it perfection. The nuttiness from the amaretto complements the coffee perfectly, while the brandy offers some alcoholic backbone. As far as hot alcoholic coffee drinks go, this one has some strength, but it does make for a great after-dinner cocktail as long as the party isn’t ending post-dessert.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“There’s really not much to say about this drink, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As you can probably tell from the list of ingredients, it’s really just a straightforward, bold coffee-based cocktail that has hints of brandy and almond in it. I can’t say it’s my favorite coffee drink because the coffee flavor is so strong and I don’t usually drink that at all, but it’s still tasty and worth trying at least once if you’re a devoted drinker of the bean.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis.
Add hot coffee, brandy, amaretto liqueur, and simple syrup to an Irish coffee mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream and grated almond.
Ingredients
Directions
Add hot coffee, brandy, amaretto liqueur, and simple syrup to an Irish coffee mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream and grated almond.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy and Monin Premium Amaretto Syrup in place of the amaretto liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Coffee Cocktails
If you like this coffee-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
White Russian: A rum cocktail made with coffee liqueur, Luxardo Amaro Abano, amaretto liqueur, and half & half
Sabueso Old Fashioned: A tequila and mezcal cocktail made with caramel coffee syrup, coffee and cocoa bitters, and an orange peel
Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini: A vanilla vodka cocktail made with espresso, coffee liqueur, pumpkin spice syrup, and grated nutmeg
Cold Brew Brandy Alexander: A brandy cocktail made with cold-brew coffee liqueur, dark crème de cacao, heavy cream, and coffee beans
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