Cuban Coffee (Cafecito)

Cuban coffee is sweet, rich, and absolutely delicious. Traditionally, this strong drink—also called a cafecito or café Cubano—is served after dinner, and there's no need for dessert. But you can really drink it any time of day, with or without food.

Making the perfect Cuban coffee requires a special—but easy!—technique of whipping sugar and a tiny amount of espresso together to create the espuma—the foamy crema that tops the drink. Unlike most other espresso drinks, you don't need an expensive espresso machine to make Cuban coffee—just a stovetop moka pot (espresso pot) and a whisk for making the espuma.

How to Brew Espresso for a Great Cuban Coffee

A 6-cup or 9-cup stovetop espresso maker or moka pot work best for making Cuban coffee. Use a finely ground dark roast. Feel free to grind your own coffee beans fresh using a manual or electric coffee grinder. Or pick up a container of finely ground Cuban coffee, such as the legendary Café Bustelo.

The 8 Best Moka Pots for Making Strong Stovetop Coffee

The Trick to Making the Perfect Cubano Espuma

The hallmark of Cuban coffee is the creamy espuma (or espumita), which is made by whisking sugar and a small amount of espresso together until a thick, foamy paste forms. There are a couple of tricks to transforming sugar into the perfect espuma and it does take practice.

• First, watch the pot and use the first tablespoon or so of coffee that's brewed. It's concentrated and almost like coffee sludge—ideal for whisking with sugar to create a thick paste.
• Next, get your desired consistency by whisking the mixture for a couple of minutes.

It takes patience and muscle, but the resulting coffee is worth it.

How to Serve a Cubano

Once you've made the espresso and espuma and combined them, all that's left to do is pour the mixture into demitasse cups—called copa tacita or pocillo in Spanish—and enjoy!