All about Einspanner

Coffee with intense and strong flavor below, topped with
smooth and rich cream - the Einspanner.
You may have come across it on café menus at least once.
Its taste and texture have a unique charm.
Before experiencing Einspanner firsthand,
let's explore everything about the Einspanner,
from its origins to how it's made and enjoyed.

Meaning of Einspanner

Einspanner is a German word that means 'a single-horse
carriage'. There are various theories about its origin,
but commonly, it's said to have started from the coffee
that coachmen used to drink while driving carriages.
A suitable fit for the name, isn't it?

Origins of Einspanner

In the past, coachmen in Vienna, Austria, found it
difficult to get down from their carriages, so they often
drank coffee while still on the carriage.
With the coffee spilling from the shaky carriage, they
risked getting burned and losing coffee in the process.
Additionally, it was hard for them to have proper meals.
To mitigate the risk of burns and maintain
the temperature and quantity of coffee, while soothing
their stomachs, they began to drink strong coffee with
plenty of sugar and whipped cream on top.
This coffee is said to be the origin of the Einspanner.

Einspanner and Viennese Coffee

You may have heard of Viennese coffee before,
but in reality, it's not commonly found in Vienna itself.
The reason is that Einspanner was previously known as
'Viennese Coffee'. It was simply called 'Viennese Coffee'
because it originated from Vienna, Austria.
If you want to drink 'Viennese Coffee' in Vienna,
all you need to do is order an Einspanner.

How to Drink Einspanner

When you see a cup of Einspanner with a thick layer of cream
piled on top, you might wonder, 'How do I eat this?'
The most basic way to enjoy an Einspanner is to drink it
straight from the cup without mixing the cream and coffee,
letting it naturally blend in your mouth.
At first, you'll taste the rich creaminess,
but as the strong coffee comes through, you'll experience
a full-bodied and slightly bitter flavor. Since the syrup may
settle at the bottom, it's a good idea to mix the coffee
and syrup well after you've consumed some of the cream.

If you want to fully appreciate the cream's fluffy texture,
you can also use a spoon to eat the cream separately
before drinking the coffee.
It may seem a bit greasy, but the creamy, melt-in-you-mouth
texture is actually quite intriguing. After consuming
some of the cream, continue to drink directly
from the cup without using a straw.

If the cafe provided you with a straw, try inserting it
deep into the cup and sip from the bottom to experience
another dimension of Einspanner's charm.

Making Einspanner

The basic recipe for an Einspanner is to layer cream
on top of an Americano. Originally, it involved topping
coffee with heavy cream and sugar, but nowadays,
sweetened whipped cream is often used.

Ingredients:
Coffee, hot water, heavy cream, sugar,
(electric) frother, ice (if serving cold),
optional Cocoa or Cinnamon powder according to taste

Instructions:
1. Prepare 180~200ml of hot water,
and add 30ml of espresso to make an Americano.
*If making it iced, pour espresso into cold water with ice.

2. In a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 70ml of heavy
cream, and froth it with a frother until it forms foam.
*Add sugar according to taste
*Make the consistency of cream like a yogurt.

3. Slowly pour the whipped cream over the coffee.

4. Optionally, sprinkly cocoa or cinnamon powder
according to taste to finish.

Einspanner Recipes Created with Nespresso

Try making a special Einspanner
with Nespresso capsule coffee.

Ingredients:
1 Double Espresso Dolce capsule, 40ml milk,
40ml heavy cream, 10g condensed milk,
3 ice cubes, freeze-dried strawberry slices

Instructions:
1. Using a frother, mix milk(40ml), heavy cream(40ml),
and condensed milk(10g) to create cream foam.

2. Extract coffee using the Double Espresso(80ml),
then pour it into an Origin Collection Lungo Cup,
dividing it in half.

3. Pour the cream foam over the extracted coffee,
then garnish with freeze-dried strawberry slices to finish.