Freddo Espresso is one of the most delicious coffee concoctions to ever grace the coffee universe. It’s surprisingly simple to make, so you don’t really even need instructions.
Italians enjoy coffee in many different ways, and coffee-making skills are in their bloodline. The French are also good at making coffee, but the cool people of Greece first took coffee to a whole new level.
The Greeks were the first to create what we now know as iced coffee. They invented the frappé in the 1950s and the freddo cappuccino soon after. Early in the 1990s, they created an iced espresso beverage that became a hit among patrons.
The history of cold coffee is complex, owing to its evolving nature. Although it is most commonly prepared as espresso, this drink has many variations and myths associated with it. An authentic espresso freddo does not contain milk, but it can be topped with some if you prefer.
A bit of false information often circulates about what goes into authentic Greek espresso freddos. A myth is that one needs a blender to make a Greek espresso freddo. In fact, a traditional version of this recipe doesn’t call for an appliance at all.
History of Freddo Espresso
The freddo is a Greek iced coffee drink invented in the 1990s when espresso made its way over to Greece, mixing with local traditions such as frappé.
The story goes that the frappé was invented in 1957 when a Nestlé representative tasked with presenting an iced chocolate drink for kids accidentally mixed it all up. Dimitris Vakondios, an employee at the same company, was preparing his usual cup of Nescafe during a break. But he couldn’t find hot water, so he mixed the instant coffee with cold water and ice cubes.
From this moment on, the frappé made its way onto TikTok, whether in the form of a dalgona coffee or whipped coffee.
Unfortunately, Americans have a hard time finding freddo espresso and frappé in coffee shops. The reason is that only Greek-owned places serve it.
So, what really goes into making freddo espresso? As for the coffee, I recommend a medium-roasted blend labeled as “full city,” “regular,” or “breakfast.” This is a summer drink, so we want something light and tasty. Leave robust roasts to your mocha.
An espresso freddo can have a crown of foam on top, but it’s really not hard to make that happen. Just shake hard, and you’ll be able to make it look like you’re using milk (when there isn’t any).
Some cold espresso drinks are quite sweet, so you might want to consider adding a sweetener if you like your coffee on the sweeter side. You can sweeten your coffee with whichever sweetener you prefer—cane sugar, honey, agave nectar, or stevia extract. Some people even like to add a splash of simple syrup before shaking.
Ingredients
Instructions
- First, you need to brew fresh espresso (two shots will be enough).
- Pour one cup of espresso into a cocktail shaker or bottle with a lid.
- Now, it is time for some manual labor. Shake, shake, and shake until the coffee foams.
- Once the foam comes up, go ahead and grab a glass filled with fresh ice and pour the coffee into it.
Freddo Espresso vs. Cold Coffee
- When comparing the caffeine content of cold brew coffee and espresso, you need to drink twice as much cold brew to consume the same amount of caffeine as in an espresso shot.
- You can brew coffee beans in a variety of ways. Espresso is made by quickly pulling shots of very hot water over ground coffee, whereas cold brew is steeped for hours or even days.
- To make a Freddo, you simply shake an espresso shot with ice. Brewed coffee or espresso can be poured over ice to make iced coffee. An Americano is the latter of those two.
Conclusion
Freddo Espresso is a surprisingly simple drink to make. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool and setting up the mise en place! You’ll find that there’s a bit of an art to pulling it off, but if you follow the directions and take your time, you should be surprised by just how good it can taste.
