Coffee runs deep in our family. It’s part ritual, part obsession, and definitely part daily life — and when New Year’s Eve rolls around, it’s exactly the kind of flavour we want in the glass.
This Espresso Martini is about to become our go-to keep-you-going-till-midnight cocktail: rich, comforting, and just lively enough to carry you through the countdown.
It first came about one evening in Clarens while we were making pizzas at home, family and friends around the pizza oven, music on, flour on the counter. We wanted an Espresso Martini, but there was no coffee liqueur in the house — and honestly, we’re a little stubborn about these things. If it’s coffee, it needs to be the real deal. So we improvised, reached for Frangelico, and a new favourite (and now a house cocktail) was born.
This Recipe serves 2.
Ingredients
-
60 ml vodka
-
30 ml Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
-
30 ml freshly brewed espresso, cooled
-
±15 ml simple syrup (to taste)
-
Ice
-
3 coffee beans, to garnish (optional)
Method
Start by making your simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan, heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to bubble, then set aside to cool. Add the vodka, Frangelico, cooled espresso and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously — don’t hold back here, the goal is that signature creamy foam. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass, garnish with coffee beans if you like, and serve immediately.
It’s the perfect New Year’s Eve pour: a little indulgent, a little energising, and best enjoyed around a table that’s still full, with midnight just around the corner.