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Intense and sweet, Cuban coffee tastes like no other coffee. The characteristic flavor comes from a sugary foam, which looks like the crema you see on espresso but has none of its bitter flavor. A moka pot or stovetop espresso maker is the traditional brewing method, but you can use other coffee makers in a pinch.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Making Cuban Coffee with Sugar Foam

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  1. Cuban style coffee is usually a powerful, aromatic Arabica roast, most commonly found abroad from the brands Bustelo, Pilon, and La Llave.
    • If grinding beans yourself for a traditional moka pot, grind to a slightly coarse powder, not as fine as you would for espresso.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    Fill a moka pot with coffee and water. Traditionally, Cubans make cafecito using a stovetop moka pot, which creates a dark, rich brew similar to espresso. Fill the basket of the moka pot with the coffee and level it off with your finger, but do not tamp it down. Pour water into the lower pot, up to the safety valve.
    • An espresso machine will also work. You can use any coffeemaker in a pinch, but the result won't be as strong as a traditional Cuban coffee.
    • Some brewers like to preheat the water in a kettle to just below boiling. This will extract the coffee faster and prevent the grounds from overheating.
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  3. Screw the parts of the moka pot together and place it on the stove burner on medium-low heat. Leave the lid open so you can see inside.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    into a deep cup. The key to Cuban coffee is the foam made from whipping sugar and coffee together, called espuma or espumita. Traditional Cuban families may use as much as 1 to 1½ tablespoons (15–22 mL) sugar per espresso shot (one demitasse cup). Many people nowadays prefer something somewhat less sweet, as low as 1–2 tsp (5–10 mL) sugar instead.
    • Raw sugar is traditional, but granulated white sugar will work fine.[1]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    As soon as your moka pot releases enough coffee to cover the base, pour just enough onto the sugar to moisten it. It's important to do this right away, so don't let your moka pot out of sight.[2]
    • It's better to add too little coffee than too much. If you end up with a liquid, try again with a new cup.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    Beat the coffee into the sugar with a metal spoon as hard as you can for two or three minutes. At first, this should be a dry, dark paste. As you beat in air, the mixture will become a light caramel color and foam slightly.[3]
  7. Once your coffee is ready, pour it slowly over the sugar paste. Stir until a brown foam (the espumita) rises to the top.
    • Pour the coffee carefully into espresso cups, without breaking apart the espumita. You can spoon the foam directly onto each cup to make sure everyone can satisfy their sweet tooth.
  8. Here are a few traditional ways to drink Cuban coffee:
    • Cafecito — black, with no additions besides the espumita
    • Cortadito — blended with an equal amount of milk
    • Cafe con leche — mixed with steamed milk to taste, and sometimes with a little salt and butter
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Brewing Directly in a Moka Pot

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    If you have a moka pot, you can put the sugar directly in with the coffee grounds. This makes a weaker espumita (foam), but it's easy to make in a rush and might caramelize the sugar a little more.
    • For moderate sweetness, use 1–2 tsp (5–10 mL) sugar for each espresso-sized serving of coffee. For extreme sweetness, use 1–1½ tbsp (15–22 mL).
    • The traditional ingredients are dark, Cuban-style roasted beans and raw demerara sugar.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    Do not tamp down the grounds, especially if your moka pot is aluminum. If you pack it too tightly, it can block the steam and cause uneven extraction, or even blow the lid off your pot.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Cuban Coffee
    Pour water into the base of your moka pot, using preheated water for best results. Pour to the base of the safety valve.
  4. Screw together the parts of your moka pot and heat over medium-low. You'll know your coffee is ready when the moka pot gurgles.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Is Cuban coffee bad for my health? Does it cause diabetes?
    Michele
    Michele
    Top Answerer
    If you have high blood pressure, are prone to palpitations (high resting heart rate over 100) or consume large amounts of sugar in other foods, you may have a health problems with Cuban coffee. All caffeinated drinks that contain sugar should be drunk in moderation. You get diabetes from the intake of too much sugar. Drinking Cuban coffee alone won't give it to you unless you consume it in large amounts habitually.
  • Question
    What kind of coffee would I need to make a Cuban coffee? Can I use espresso coffee? I have a coffee grinder, but I don't know how exactly to grind the coffee for this type of coffee maker.
    Michele
    Michele
    Top Answerer
    You can use any coffee to make it though espresso; a dark, rich roast, is the best. Grinding beans for espresso is harder than you think. You need a fine or superfine grind, but not so fine that it blocks the filter. It may take a little experimentation to get it right. See How to Grind Espresso Beans for some help in doing this.
  • Question
    How do you know when the coffee is finished brewing?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If you're using a moka pot, you know it's done when the pot suddenly starts making gurgling noises. A French press is done after four minutes.
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Tips

  • If you are using a percolator instead of the traditional moka pot, use the second stream instead. The first stream may be too dilute.[4]
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Things You'll Need

  • Moka pot (stovetop espresso maker) or espresso machine
  • Coffee ground to espresso consistency or slightly coarse
  • Raw or white sugar
  • Stove


About This Article

Jennifer Levasseur
Reviewed by:
Personal Chef
This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 187,234 times.
5 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 9
Updated: August 19, 2024
Views: 187,234
Categories: Coffee
Article SummaryX

To make Cuban coffee, start by combining 1 teaspoon of sugar with a serving of coffee grounds. You should use enough coffee to fill the basket of a moka pot. Now, pour the mixture into the basket of a moka pot. Pour water into the lower pot until it reaches the base of the safety valve. Then, screw the parts of the moka pot together and heat it over medium-low heat. Once the pot starts to gurgle, remove it from the heat and pour the coffee into a cup.

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