The Perfect Irish Coffee

Tips from the master.

1. Take a tub of double cream and shake vigorously until solid.

2. Line up your red wine glasses.

3. Add coffee to glasses. Either ready-made fresh or instant coffee is fine.

Warning: pouring boiling water into a glass can cause it to shatter.

Top Tip: warm the glass up first by swilling a little hot water around it. If you leave a teaspoon in the glass as you pour the coffee, it is much less likely to break.

4. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the coffee for those who like things sweet.

Top Tip: Add the sugar before the alcohol, otherwise it won't dissolve properly.

5. Stir the sugar in really well.

6. Add a generous dash of Irish whiskey. Irish whiskey is triple distilled (Scotch twice, and Bourbon only once) which makes it nice and smooth - perfectly complimenting the coffee. If you don't have an Irish whiskey, then Jura is an acceptable alternative. 

7. Finally, add a fork or tablespoon full of thick cream to the coffee. It's really important to do this gently and not to let it plop in. You want the cream to dissolve resting on the surface, to create layers. If it goes under the surface it will simply turn into milky coffee.

There is another technique, whereby you hold a spoon upside down over the glass and pour liquid cream onto the back so that the convex shape of the spoon helps to rest the cream on the surface of the coffee. Unless you're confident - ours is an easier option.

Et voila! The perfect Irish coffee: