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1
Warm the Milk with Spices
10 Mins
Gentle heat, about 80°C (175°F) — do not boil
Heat the milk, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and orange zest over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the milk is steaming and just starting to bubble at the edges. Keep it below a boil the whole time.
If the milk does boil, take it off the heat at once — boiled milk can taste scorched and the spices turn bitter.
Done when: Sugar dissolved, milk steaming, spices fragrant, no boiling.
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2
Stir in the Coffee and Vanilla
5 Mins
About 80°C (175°F)
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 150 ml strong hot coffee and the 5 ml vanilla extract. Stir until the colour is even — a pale coffee beige all through.
If you use instant coffee instead, dissolve it in a little of the hot milk first so it leaves no gritty specks.
Done when: An even pale beige colour, no coffee specks.
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3
Cool and Strain
30 Mins
Cool to room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Let the milk cool for about 30 minutes, then strain it through a fine sieve into a clean jug or bottle to take out the cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. A quick way to cool it is to set the pan in a bowl of cold water and stir now and then.
Do not add the aguardiente while the milk is still warm — heat drives off the alcohol and its aroma.
Done when: Milk at room temperature, strained smooth.
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4
Add the Aguardiente
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Stir the 180 ml aguardiente into the cold spiced milk. Taste it: add a little more sugar if you like it sweeter, or a splash more aguardiente if you like it stronger — but remember it tastes milder cold than it does now.
The drink always tastes stronger warm than cold, so judge the sweetness now and the strength after chilling.
Done when: Evenly mixed, seasoned to your taste.
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5
Chill and Serve
2 Hours
Serve ice-cold, about 4°C (39°F)
Pour the cola de mono into a clean bottle or a covered jug and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight is better, as the flavours settle and round out. Serve ice-cold in small glasses, with pan de Pascua on the side.
Shake or stir the bottle gently before pouring, in case the spices have settled.
Done when: Thoroughly cold, smooth and creamy in the glass.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve ice-cold in small glasses with pan de Pascua. For a no-alcohol version, simply leave out the aguardiente — the spiced coffee milk is still the drink Chilean families serve at Christmas.
Chile
35m
