The Genius Method For Cooling Down An Espresso Shot In Seconds

Whether the sun is trying to kill you, or you simply prefer your espresso served cold all of the time, you could try cold-pressing it. This combines cold-steeping grounds for a few minutes, similar to cold-brewing, followed by a manual press that puts the same high pressure on the grounds as a hot espresso machine. However, cold water doesn't extract as much flavor from espresso as hot water, plus you'd need more coffee equipment and time to experiment. Instead, it's better to make a standard espresso shot and cool it down.

Sticking it in the refrigerator will work, but over time the quality of the espresso dips. Instead, employ an exclusive trick given to Daily Meal by Jee Choe: Coffee expert, tea sommelier, and creator of the blog "Oh, How Civilized". She says, "A quick way to cool down espresso is to put a metal spoon that has been in the freezer into the espresso to transfer the heat to the spoon." This works because of the laws of thermodynamics. To simplify, the heat from your freshly pulled espresso moves quickly into the cold spoon until both reach a matching temperature. From there, you can make any cold espresso drink you desire, from a creamy, rich breve to an espresso martini.

The key reason you should chill your espresso with a frozen spoon, over all other options, is that it happens quickly. Besides getting to your completed drink faster, a true boon to the perpetually time-crunched, it also helps preserve some of your espresso's flavor. What exactly is going on in your coffee as it cools over time is surprisingly complicated and nuanced, but in essence, the longer it sits the more it breaks down.

If you are planning ahead for the next morning, you can make espresso ahead of time and let cool slowly overnight. Coffee expert Jee Choe says, "Espresso shots can be pulled ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container but it will lose its flavor over time," You shouldn't let it hang out there all week, though. "I would recommend drinking it within 24 hours, knowing it won't taste as good as when it was freshly pulled. After 48 hours, there will be a noticeable change in quality and flavor," says Choe.

Whichever method you choose, once the espresso is cold it can be used in a variety of drinks. The simplest way to use it is to make a basic latte with milk over ice, or in an espresso martini on cocktail night. It's also a great mix-in for certain smoothies and shakes to give you an extra boost of caffeine, or simply pour it over ice to sip on during a calm, peaceful morning.

Cold espresso is also a key ingredient in many a delicious dessert. One of the most famous is tiramisu, and you can also use it to make coffee ice cream. Additionally, you can use cold espresso in almost any cake recipe in place of water or milk, to infuse the dessert with a delicious coffee flavor. Espresso can also work for savory foods, such as Thai-inspired coffee barbecue chicken wings or coffee-marinated bison short ribs. Once you've got the cooling trick down you're only seconds away from having this flavorful ingredient ready.