Irish Coffee

The story goes that this drink was invented for tourists by a chef at a restaurant at Shannon Airport. The most important thing to remember in making this after dinner favorite is this: Irish Coffee is made with only very lightly whipped cream. The goal is to make the cream float so it looks like the foam on a pint of Guinness. The coffee can’t be too hot or the cream will quickly melt.

2 – 4 T. whipping cream
1 cup strong, freshly brewed coffee
1 T. sugar (or more to taste, but not less)
1 jigger Irish Whiskey

Whisk the cream until it starts to thicken. Beat it just until soft peaks begin to form.

Ideally, use a footed Irish coffee mug. Fill about ¾ full with coffee that’s not super hot. Stir in the whiskey and the sugar.

Hold a teaspoon upside down and horizontally over the glass with the tip of it not quite touching the coffee. Slowly drizzle the cream over the spoon.  It should flow off the tip and slowly spread across the surface of the coffee instead of plunging to the bottom of the mug.

 From:  Real Irish Food: 150 Classic Recipes from the Old Country