At Canto in New York’s West Village, the best-selling cocktail is a frozen slurry of espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur, crowned with a cloud of Amarula cream liqueur and mascarpone that brings tiramisu to mind. Owner Djamel Omari credits social media “blowing it up” for the restaurant’s “lines of people before opening just to grab one.” On weekends, he says, they serve up to 10 gallons of the frozen espresso drink each day.
Josh Weinstein, owner of The Quiet Few in Boston, tells me that his team preps their version of a frozen espresso martini, called the Bruce Chillis, in three 1.726-gallon batches to get through a shift. “They crank,” he says. “Wildly popular.”
To keep the drinks slushy but at optimal dilution—and quick to serve—Weinstein’s team uses a $3000 Bunn 58000 frozen drink machine; at Canto, the drink is chilled and churned in a Fetco frozen beverage system that Omari says costs between $3000 and $5000. Other bartenders I spoke to recommended robust two-flavor machines from Taylor that can cost more than $19,000. But you don’t need one of those, or even an ice cream maker, to whip up a superlative frozen espresso martini at home.
The trick for a flavor-packed version is hiding in Roger Kamholz’s recipe for the classic espresso martini on Epicurious. When we tested that drink, it quickly became clear that it needed the punch of espresso—cold brew, though concentrated, didn’t provide the robust roasty backbone the cocktail required. Thawing out one of Cometeer’s flash-frozen capsules proved to be the best alternative for anyone who doesn’t have a gleaming espresso machine on their countertop.
And here’s the good news: for a frozen espresso martini, those capsules are actually preferable—and you don’t need to thaw them.
I like to make two frozen espresso martinis at a time to share with a friend. (I would not personally recommend putting both servings in a Stanley cup and drinking them all in one go, but you wouldn’t be the first.)
Start with two frozen Cometeer capsules—briefly running water over them will loosen them up enough to eject the coffee without thawing fully. Put the frozen coffee in a blender with 4 oz. coffee liqueur (like Mr Black), 2 oz. vodka, and ½ oz. chilled 1:1 simple syrup. (Some of you may prefer a scant ½ oz. sweetener, but if you don’t add enough sugar to a frozen drink, it may wind up tasting a bit dull after ice gets involved. Still, it’s easier to add more to taste than take any away later.)
Along with about 2½ cups ice, add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. A high-powered blender can easily process ice cubes; if you’re using something a little more timid, start with crushed ice to give it an easier workout. We’ll skip the lemon twist that’s used in Roger’s shaken version—we’re not looking for blended lemon peel here, though you could add a drop of lemon or orange bitters, or opt for this amaro-laced variation.
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