Cafe Brasileiro

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/6/21
Cafe Brasileiro - Hot Coffee Cocktail
Kris Timken / Photodisc / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361 Calories
22g Fat
13g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 67mg 22%
Sodium 18mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 94mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

In the café Brasileiro, you'll spike a steaming cup of coffee with cachaça. Brazil's answer to rum is a wonderful option but this hot cocktail recipe is a little more complex than simply pouring a single shot.

This recipe was created by John Gakuru for Sagatiba Pura Cachaça. It pairs the cachaça with a dark chocolate liqueur and is best with the darkest, richest cup of coffee you have the capability to make.

The fresh vanilla cream finishes it off in high style. There's no big secret to making it, either. All you need is a cocktail shaker, a vanilla bean, and some cream; it mixes up in less than a minute.

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cream:

  • 2 ounces heavy cream

  • 1 vanilla bean

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 1/2 ounces cachaça

  • 1/2 ounce chocolate liqueur

  • 2 1/2 ounces hot black coffee

  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

  • 2 ounces vanilla cream

Steps to Make It

Make Vanilla Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod into a cocktail shaker.

  3. Add heavy cream and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.

  4. Keep refrigerated if you're not using it immediately.

Make the Café Brasileiro

  1. In an Irish coffee glass or mug, stir together the cachaça, chocolate liqueur, simple syrup, and coffee.

  2. Slowly and gently layer the vanilla cream onto the surface of the drink.

  3. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • There are numerous options for the dark chocolate liqueur. Dorda, Godiva, and Mozart are a few brands that are fantastically rich and delicious. You can also pour dark crème de cacao if you prefer.
  • Vanilla beans can be expensive, but the fresh taste is worth it in the vanilla cream. For a single drink, use just half a bean if you prefer. You can also add as much as 6 ounces of cream for a whole bean and make a large batch at once. It should stay fresh in the refrigerator for a day or two, though you may want to shake it up just before using (a 30-second whip with a whisk works well too).
  • Alternatively, simply shake 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for every 6 ounces of cream. Taste it and add more if you prefer.
  • The other option is to make fresh whipped cream. This recipe adds powdered sugar and vanilla extract and requires about 8 minutes of mixing to fully whip up.

How Strong Is a Café Brasileiro?

As with most coffee cocktails, the café Brasileiro is a very gentle drink. The alcohol content should fall somewhere around 10 percent ABV (20 proof). That's about the same as drinking a glass of wine, but far more soothing and flavorful.

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