Irish Coffee Turkish Style

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 ounces cold water
• 2 tablespoons extra finely-ground coffee, such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi brand Turkish coffee
• 1 to 3 teaspoons sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Pour the water into the cezve. Add the coffee and sugar, if using. Mix well to dissolve the coffee and sugar. Do not stir after this point.
3. Place the cezve on the stovetop over medium heat. After a few minutes, the coffee will rise and foam up.
4. Just before it begins to boil, remove the cezve from the heat. Skim off the foam, adding a little to each serving cup. Return the cezve to the heat and let it slowly foam up again.
5. Pour the coffee very slowly into the serving cups so the foam rises to the top.
6. Let the coffee settle for a few minutes, then serve.

Tips

• Dark-roasted Arabica coffee is traditional. Other types of coffee beans will work, and a blend of dark and lighter roasts is enjoyable.
• The powdery grind size is what makes it Turkish coffee (the espresso grind is rather coarse in comparison). It isn’t easy to achieve from the average home coffee grinder, so it’s best to learn this brewing method with pre-ground Turkish coffee.
• Coffee shops may produce a “Turkish grind” on request, and it’s available from brands such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. Turkish coffee grinders will produce the perfect grind as well.
• The goal is to create a thick foam (similar to crema) on top. Stirring or letting the coffee come to a boil will cause the foam to collapse. Boiled coffee will also add a bitter flavor.
• Keep the heat in check and be patient. The setting will depend on your stove, but it should take between seven and 10 minutes to brew Turkish coffee.
• Due to the small volume of the cezve, it’s easier to brew about two cups at once. A larger cezve can make four to six cups; use 1 tablespoon of coffee for each “cup” of water.
• If you don’t have a cezve, use the smallest saucepan possible (preferably tall and thin).
• Espresso cups and small teacups are good alternatives to Turkish coffee cups.

Recipe Variations

• Adjust the amount of ground coffee to suit your taste.
• There are three sweetness levels for Turkish coffee: “less sweet” (az sekerli) uses 1/2 teaspoon of sugar per cup, “medium sweet” (orta sekerli) uses 1 teaspoon per cup (equal to the amount of coffee), and “extra sweet” (sekerli) uses 2 teaspoons per cup. You can also skip the sugar entirely.
• Create a richer cup of coffee by substituting milk for the water; take extra care to avoid scalding.
• For a hint of spice, add a whole green cardamom pod or 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom to the cezve with the coffee and sugar.

Is Turkish Coffee Stronger Than Espresso?

Both Turkish coffee and espresso are stronger in taste and caffeine content than regular coffee. Comparing the two is a little different, though. Since it’s unfiltered, Turkish coffee does have a more robust taste than espresso. However, espresso tends to have more caffeine. A two-ounce cup of Turkish coffee has about 50 milligrams of caffeine, while the same amount of espresso (a double shot) can range from 58 to 185 milligrams of caffeine.