Espresso is arguably the best, tastiest way to brew coffee. Having an espresso machine at home is the best way to ensure you never have a bad day again. But after some time, the spell starts to fade- this is just a sign that you need to spice it up a little bit. Even the biggest coffee fan will grow tired of espresso after just a few months.

 

To help you reignite your passion for espresso (or to avoid it going out in the first place), we’ve prepared an easy-to-follow, simple cheat sheet containing drinks that you can make with espresso as a base. With these X drinks, you’ll never find espresso boring!

#1 Affogato

This drink is usually had as dessert in Italy and Greece, and it’s definitely the perfect mix between drink and dessert. It consists of espresso and a scoop of ice cream.

 

Ingredients:

• Two shots of espresso (60ml)
• One scoop vanilla ice cream (90ml)

 

Bonus points if you’re using authentic Italian gelato because it’s creamier. We also encourage using your favorite ice cream flavor- chocolate and coffee are also a great combo!

 

#2 Café Bombón

Another sweet beverage, the café bombón is designed to achieve ultimate creaminess while still being incredibly easy to prepare. It uses sweetened condensed milk, which you can easily find in supermarkets boxed or canned. It is sweet, thick and creamy and it goes great with many different types of coffee.

 

Ingredients:

• Two shots of espresso (60ml)
• 4 tablespoons condensed milk (90ml)

 

It is traditionally served in a small, clear glass. If you pour the condensed milk first and then the coffee, it’s quite pretty to look at, which is why clear glasses are used. Stir and enjoy!

#3 Con Panna

One for whipped cream lovers: this traditional Italian drink is made by adding whipped cream to an otherwise plain, unsweetened espresso. It’s supposed to have been hugely popular in Italy and France at the start of the 20th century and still remains a popular drink in Europe.

 

Ingredients:

• Two shots of espresso (60ml)
• Whipped cream, 90ml

 

#4 Café Creme

A French invention that makes use of heavy cream -an ingredient that everyone’s likely to have in their fridge- to turn espresso into a creamy, tasty drink without the need for milk. Plus, heavy cream brings a certain umami that you just don’t get with plain milk.

 

Ingredients:

• Two shots of espresso (60ml)
• Two tablespoons of heavy cream (30ml)

 

Pour the espresso first, then the heavy cream on top. Sweeten, stir, and enjoy.

 

#5 Black Eye

To break with the trend of sweet espresso beverages, we present to you the black eye. The name is quite self explanatory: this is a coffee drink designed not to tickle your taste buds, but to punch you in the face.

 

While not appealing in a regular sense, the black eye can be a lifesaver when you’re having a rough morning, no matter the reason. Think of it like a splash of ice-cold water to the face, times ten.

 

Ingredients:

• Two shots of espresso (60ml)
• 120ml of brewed coffee

 

The brewed coffee can be made however you like, although French press coffee goes particularly well with espresso thanks to its oiliness. Sweeten (or don’t, for enhanced awakening effect) and enjoy!