You must have heard of espresso con panna. The decadent espresso with cream, a mix between a dessert and a caffeinated drink, popular in Europe and said to have its origin from the Vienna coffee houses. To be historically accurate, you might have seen the drink being served in a demitasse. We will offer you a modern twist on it!
The name is Italian in origin and roughly translates to “espresso with cream”. Around the world you might find the same drink under a different name. You would hear people in Australia referring to con panna coffee as Café Vienna, in France they would call it café Viennois and in Vienna it is known as Franziskaner.
What is so special about con panna espresso? Isn’t it just that - espresso with cream? It is the simple, delicate balance of the two ingredients that perfectly complement each other that has made this coffee drink a favorite. The combination of the sweetness of the cream and the bitterness of the espresso - much like a dessert, but not quite.
This indulgent drink is best enjoyed with a nice book, in the company of good friends or it would make for a great pick me up in the afternoon. Make this special, yet simple drink with the following measurements:
Ingredients
- Whipped Cream 90 ml
- Espresso 60 ml
- Cinnamon (Optional)
How to make it at home:
- Add your whipped cream to a bowl and use a whisk or a hand mixer to thicken the cream to the desired consistency. Depending on the time you whisk, the cream would start to thicken or even develop stiff peaks.
- Leave your cream aside to rest or best put it in the fridge to keep it cool.
- Next, it is time to extract your espresso - you can find our tips for great espresso below.
- Once you have all your ingredients ready, pour your cream on top of the espresso and voila - your drink is made.
- Garnish with cinnamon, drizzle some chocolate syrup or add vanilla syrup. We guarantee the drink would taste great anyway you serve it!
However, the most important part of it remains the espresso. Here are our proven tips to make sure you get the best tasting espresso every time.
Heat up the water for the espresso extraction and remember that it is best to pour it into the Leverpresso while it is boiling hot. The Leverpresso is built to withstand high heat of up to 95 degrees and unlike other manual espresso machines, it doesn't need pre-heating.
We recommend to use freshly baked and ground beans in order to get a good shot of espresso, so make sure the beans you are using have been baked either the same day, or 3 days prior to making the espresso. If you follow this step, you can expect to get a flavorful espresso with rich crema.
Secure your 18 g portafilter basket in the bottom cup of the Leverpresso and fill it with the coffee grounds. Do not tip it all at once, but make an OK sign with your fingers or use a dosing ring to transfer the coffee.
The tamping is another important step, so once you have your coffee grounds neatly arranged into the portafilter basket, use the plastic tamper that comes with the Leverpresso to apply pressure and even out the puck. We recommend the tamping pressure to be as strong as 20 kg, but it can be adjusted. Avoid channeling, which is the water escaping through holes in the puck that haven't been evened out well, as it will affect the quality of the espresso extraction.
Espresso con panna is made easily with little effort and you can adjust it to your own taste. Add a dash of your favorite coffee syrup, though always a classic, this coffee drink can be adjusted to fit any modern taste.
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