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1
Brew the Espresso
5 Mins
Medium heat; water about 93°C (200°F)
Set the moka pot over medium heat with the lid open. Watch the spout: as soon as the first dark, strong drops of coffee appear, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the hot coffee into the cup of sugar. Turn the heat down low and let the rest of the coffee brew through.
Catch the very first drops — they are the strongest and sweetest, and they make the best espuma.
Done when: Dark coffee is flowing steadily from the spout and the pot is gurgling gently.
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2
Whip the Espuma
2 Mins
No heat
Beat the sugar and the spoonful of hot coffee together with a spoon, fast and hard, for about 2 minutes. The mix turns pale, thick and creamy — a golden foam called espuma or espumita. Keep beating until it holds soft peaks and looks like light caramel.
Beat hard and do not stop early — a thin espuma dissolves into the coffee instead of floating on it.
Done when: A pale golden foam, thick enough to hold its shape on the spoon.
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3
Steam the Milk
2 Mins
Heat to about 65°C (150°F); do not boil
While the coffee finishes brewing, heat the whole milk in the small pan over medium heat, whisking gently, until it is steaming hot and lightly foamy on top — about 65°C (150°F). If you have a steam wand or frother, steam it to a soft, velvety microfoam instead of stiff bubbles.
Do not let the milk boil — boiled milk tastes flat and scorches easily, and it will not foam.
Done when: Hot and steaming, with a thin layer of soft foam on the surface.
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4
Fold in the Rest of the Coffee
1 Min
Hot, about 70°C (158°F)
When the moka pot has finished brewing, pour the hot coffee into the espuma in a slow, thin stream, stirring gently with the spoon as you pour. The foam rises and spreads across the top of the coffee instead of sinking.
Pour slowly down the side of the cup — a fast pour knocks the foam flat.
Done when: The coffee is topped with an even layer of golden foam.
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5
Top with the Steamed Milk
1 Min
Serve hot, about 65°C (149°F)
Divide the sweetened coffee between the four small glasses, then pour the hot steamed milk into each glass in the same amount as the coffee — half coffee, half milk — pouring gently into the centre so the foam stays on top. Spoon a little of the milk foam onto each glass to finish.
Pour the milk into the coffee, not the other way round — the milk cuts the strong espresso and the espuma floats up through it.
Done when: Four small glasses, each half coffee and half milk, with a pale foam cap.
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6
Serve at Once
1 Min
Serve hot, about 65°C (149°F)
Serve immediately, with pastelitos or buttered Cuban toast. A cortadito is drunk in a few hot sips, standing at the counter or passed around at work — do not let it sit, or the espuma melts away and the milk cools.
Stir once, gently, before the first sip if you like it fully mixed — or leave the layers and let the milk soften each sip.
Done when: Hot glasses, golden foam intact, ready to drink.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Drink it hot, in small sips, while the espuma is still thick — the milk has softened the strong coffee, but the sweetness is still there underneath.
Cuba
3h
