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Author:
Franco Salzillo
Experts say the Irish coffee was invented in the 1950s by Chef Joe Sheridan at the Foynes Airbase, Ireland, to ease stranded passengers from a delayed flight on a chilly winter night. It kind of makes sense. Steaming coffee, lots of sugar, and a splash of Irish whiskey is all you need to stay warm, even on the chilliest evenings.
According to the International Bartenders Association, Irish coffee is made with 2 parts whiskey, 4 parts coffee, a teaspoon of brown sugar and fresh whipped cream. This might be the original version, but it’s not the best. Just wait until you try today’s caramel Irish coffee, and you’ll see what I mean.
I’m sure you’ve heard about Baileys, the famous Irish cream. You might not know, though, that it’s made with Irish whiskey, cream, chocolate, vanilla and other delicious ingredients. If you’re like me, it’s more likely that you have a bottle of Baileys than one of Irish whiskey, so why not use that instead?
The first thing you need is a proper black coffee AKA Americano. You can brew it with your regular filter drip coffee machine. Then we’ll add the Baileys. Now, because today I’m showing you how to make a caramel variation, see if you find caramel-flavored Baileys. If you can’t, then have in hand a few ounces of caramel sauce. We’re also using vanilla ice cream instead of the whipped cream because if we’re making a decadent drink, we should do it right.
So, there you have it, Irish cream, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, and hot coffee. Four of my favorite ingredients in a mug. I can’t ask for more.
You can always take the traditional approach and top your coffee with whipped cream forgetting about the vanilla ice cream altogether; that’s your choice. For me, it’s the ice cream that takes this drink to the next level. Besides, the original recipe calls for fresh whipped cream, which will add at least fifteen minutes to your prep time. Who has time for that? Especially on a chilly night!
Now we’re ready to check out the recipe, so let’s make this revamped Irish Coffee, and share it with our friends and family!
Brew your coffee and pour it in the mugs.
Add one ounce of Irish cream and another one of caramel sauce to each mug and stir until combined.
Scoop the ice cream over each mug and drizzle with caramel sauce.
