Italian Coffee Cream (Crema di Caffe)
Italian Coffee Cream also known as Crema di Caffe, this deliciously whipped specialty coffee recipe is enjoyed with a spoon. Made with only three ingredients. Serve it as an after dinner treat!
I thought the best way to welcome myself back to Italy was to make a very popular Italian Specialty Coffee. This is more than a drink it can also be considered a dessert. Eaten with a spoon, it is so creamy and delicious. And it only takes minutes to prepare!
How to make it
Prepare a strong coffee (espresso is best if you have it), add a little sugar to the hot coffee and refrigerate until very cold. I like to make it the night before. In a medium bowl beat the cold whipping cream until soft peaks appear.
Slowly drizzle in the cold coffee while you continue beating. Beat until thick. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about an hour.
Gently combine before serving in small glasses (a little bigger than an espresso cup) and sprinkle with cocoa or chocolate flakes.
Different ways to make it
You could add layers of crushed amaretti cookies, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, add a couple of chocolate covered espresso beans. If you prefer decaffeinated or instant coffee, those would work too.
How to store it
It should be stored in the fridge, and can be kept for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended because the cream will separate.
A trick I was told about if you don’t have electric beaters but really want a Cold Coffee Cream. Grab a medium clean bottle, either glass or plastic, add the cold ingredients and shake the bottle for about 2 – 3 minutes until the mixture thickens, then pour it into the glasses! it won’t be as dense but it will taste just as amazing!
Related Recipes
So if you are looking for a delicious alternative to your regular coffee, why not give this Italian Coffee Cream a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Italian Coffee Cream - Crema di Caffe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup strong coffee
- 2-4 teaspoons granulated sugar*
- 1 1/4 cups whole/whipping/heavy cream
*depending on how sweet you like your coffee, (I add 1 1/2 teaspoons, but I don't take sugar in my coffee and it wasn't very sweet, I probably could add another teaspoon).
Instructions
- Prepare a strong coffee (espresso is best if you have it), add the desired amount of sugar to the hot coffee, then refrigerate it until very cold. (I like to make it the night before).
- In a medium bowl beat the cold whipping cream until soft peaks appear. Slowly drizzle in the cold coffee while you continue beating. Beat until thickened. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Gently stir together before serving in small glasses (a little bigger than an espresso cup), sprinkle with cocoa or chocolate flakes if desired.
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This was delicious and refreshing. I like a bit more sweetness, so I will probably double the sugar (I used Swerve sweetener) next time. My batch didn’t keep well overnight and started to separate. I beat the mixture again to combine and fluff, which worked well. Still, it separated again after about an hour of resting in the fridge. Any tips to avoid this?
Love this coffee treat!
Hi Gerry, unfortunately it’s normal that it separates. It will have to be beaten to bring it back together. Probably best to consume after made. Take care.
Sounds great, was wondering if you recommend using powdered sugar instead to keep the whip cream from separating or deflating?
Hi Sara, thanks, I used regular granulated it might have been very fine sugar, but you could use powdered sugar if you prefer. I hope you enjoy it.
Tried this recipe and it was good! Though a little different than what I was expecting? I had heard espressino freddo and crema di caffe used interchangeably and I had the chance to try the former (had a more soft-serve/ice-cream like consistency) while in Italy. When I tried the recipe, it was more fluff-like. Just wondering if you had any insights if there were any actual differences~
Thank you for creating this website, will definitely be checking out other recipes!
Hi Hannah, sometimes it also depends on the part of Italy you tried it and of course the professional machines they use. When I make it here it is quite thick maybe it is the type of cream you use or even coffee? Let me know.
I could not get a better taste delicious
Hi Charles, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care and have a great week.