The Cortadito is a dark and strong cut coffee. It originates from Cuba, traditionally being drunk in the morning or as a dessert coffee at night. Recently, it is starting to also gain popularity in South Florida, because of the high Cuban population.
What Is A Cortadito Coffee?
A Cortadito is almost a Cuban coffee or espresso version of a cortado. A cortado originates from Spain, and is most usually 1 shot of espresso mixed with 1 fluid ounce of milk (or double the amounts). The most important aspect of the cortado is the one-to-one ratio of milk and espresso. This one-to-one ratio is also present in the Cortadito; the difference is that it is pre-sweetened espresso and milk.
In the most basic sense, a Cortadito can be thought of as a cup of Cuban coffee mixed with steamed milk. However, an important part of the Cortadito is the presence of the light brown topping, called espuma. This is pretty easy to make, as it is just sugar and espresso whipped together.
How do you drink a Cortadito Espresso?
A Cortadito is a classic Cuban coffee made with milk, sugar, and coffee. It is sweet, delicious, and full-flavored. In Cuba, it is made with a Moka pot. When drinking it, the coffee should be pale beige, with a thin layer of sugar foam on top. Although it is milder than a regular espresso, it is highly addictive.
How To Make A Cortadito at Home
An important part of authentically making a Cortadito is using the right pot. Instead of the espresso machine that you probably use most often, the Cortadito is made using a Moka pot.
So, once you have your Moka pot ready, you should start by filling the bottom part with water. Next, you should put your coffee grounds into the filter basket, making sure it is level. It might be a good idea to use Cuban coffee grounds in order to achieve the best taste. Put this filter into the bottom section of the Moka pot, and then connect it to the top section. Following the instructions for the pot, place the Moka pot onto the stove and begin to brew your coffee.
While your coffee is brewing, you can start to warm up your milk. If you want to, you can also use evaporated milk, but any type is fine. Make sure that the milk does not get too hot, especially not boiling.
At this point, you are now ready to make your espuma. Start by measuring out 4 tablespoons of sugar and placing it into a small bowl or a creamer. Then, put a small amount of your brewed espresso with the sugar. If your espresso is not finished brewing, that is okay! Once around one fluid ounce of the espresso is ready, remove the Moka pot from the heat and pour this ounce into the sugar, and then allow the rest to continue brewing. Either way, you should have around an ounce of espresso with your sugar. Now, you should begin to whisk the sugar with the espresso. Keep whisking even after the sugar dissolves; you want to keep going until you form a layer of light brown foam.
Once you have your espuma ready and your espresso is finished brewing, pour the rest of your espresso into your coffee cup. Then, begin to add the warmed milk. Make sure that the ratio of espresso to milk stays about one-to-one, though.
Now, you can transfer your espuma from the creamer or bowl into your coffee cup.
If all of this seems too difficult, there is another way to replicate the Cortadito coffee. Though it is not as authentic and does not taste as good, it still shares the basics. Using this way, you would still make your espresso, preferably using Cuban coffee grounds. However, instead of whipping espresso with sugar, you would instead brew the espresso fully. Then, instead of evaporated milk, you would use a one-to-one ratio of espresso with sweetened condensed milk.
Differences between a Cortado and a Cortadito?
There are some differences between a cortado and a cortadito. For one thing, a cortado is made from espresso, while a cortadito is made from espresso that has been pre-sweetened. In a cortadito, the milk is optional. It can be equal parts espresso and milk or three parts espresso to one part milk.
The first major difference is in the type of milk used in making the drink. Cortados are typically rich and frothy, while cortaditos are more milky and have a larger serving size. Moreover, cortados are usually served in smaller mugs than cortaditos.
Another difference between a cortado and a cortadito is the amount of sugar used. The latter has more sugar than the former, but it’s not as sweet. A cortado contains one shot of espresso and one shot of steamed milk. A cortado should have a milk-to-coffee ratio of 1:1. A cortado is best drunk slowly, with the foam removed.
A cortado and a cortadito are two different drinks, but both are made from the same ingredients. While they are essentially the same beverage, their differences make them more appealing. A cortado is a Spanish beverage. A cortadito is a smaller version of the cortado, which is typically made from one part espresso and one part warmed milk.
No matter which way you decide to make it, the Cortadito is definitely a coffee that will be thoroughly enjoyed.
