Crema di Caffe Served with an Ice Cream

Crema di caffe is an Italian soft silky smooth coffee ice cream, piped from a machine into small coffee cups. Occasionally you can have it served in a martini glass, an elegant and refreshing way of having it, especially on a hot beach day afternoon.

Below is my recipe to remember this year’s Southern Italian summer holiday, on a beach with days filled with swimming, reading and soaking up some golden rays of sun, only paused by a walk to the beach bar for a portion of crema di caffe, which was incredibly good.

Having it served with an ice cream, a proper Italian ice cream, was a result of a serendipitous accident at the beach bar, which in turn has become our current favourite way of having it.

Try to buy the best ice cream you can find. It works particularly well, also visually, with the following flavours: fior di latte, cream, yogurt and vanilla, but you can have fun with other flavours.

Recipe for crema di caffe (serves 4):

• 300 ml of whipping cream, cold
• 2-3 espresso cups of a strong coffee, cold from the fridge
• 2-3 heaped teaspoons of caster sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar

Dissolve the caster sugar in the coffee and keep it cold.

In a larger bowl whisk the cream until it starts to thicken and form soft peaks.

Now gradually pour in the coffee, whisking all the time.

Taste and add the icing sugar to your liking (you can always add more than suggested).

Freeze for a minimum of three hours.

When ready to serve take both the ice cream of your choice and the crema di caffe from the freezer.

Wait a few minutes allowing both to soften a bit.

After a few minutes start whisking the coffee cream (with a hand whisk). It should turn into a fairly thick liquid coffee cream.

To serve:

Use tea cups or martini glasses for a slightly grown up version.

Fill half of the glass with the ice cream of your choice and cover it with a layers of crema di caffe.

Stir gently and enjoy!