Growing up we always had coffee ice cream in the house and that’s probably where my love of coffee-flavored things comes from.
When we order an Espresso Martini in restaurants, we are always careful to ask if they can make them with decaffeinated espresso so they don’t keep us up at night.
Earlier this year we decided that we should try making them at home when I found a recipe for a Mexican Carajillo, a coffee cocktail.
Licor 43 takes the place of vodka and coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa) found in a traditional Espresso Martini. Believe it or not, we had Licor 43 in our bar but not any sort of coffee liqueur.
Licor 43 was first made in 1946 and is the most popular liqueur in Spain. It gets its name from the 43 botanicals used to make it. It has strong citrus and vanilla tastes. I find that it smooths out the bitter taste of the espresso.
We have had a bottle of Licor 43 for years – purchased to make a cocktail or two that never made it onto Riegl Palate. It’s great that we have finally found a use for it.
Most recipes for a Mexican Carajillo are a one to one ratio of espresso and Licor 43. We prefer two parts espresso to one part Licor 43. And, of course we use decaffeinated espresso.