Italian Chocolate Martini
A bitter and coffee aperitif & bitters cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 12.7% ABV ∙
The Italian Chocolate Martini is an Espresso Martini riff with no chocolate in it: amaro such as Averna, hot espresso and crème de café, shaken and served up.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Espresso coffee 30 mlAmaro 45 mlCrème de Café liqueur 15 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with three coffee beans floated in a petal formation in the center of the cocktail’s foamy head
Tips
- Pull the espresso just before shaking; a hard shake over ice chills it and builds the foamy head the coffee beans rest on.
History
The Italian Chocolate Martini, also served under the name Italian Espresso Martini, is a modern riff created by bartender Nicholas Boden at Tavernonna Italian Kitchen in the Hotel Phillips, Kansas City, Missouri. His recipe swaps the base spirit of the Espresso Martini for Amaro Averna, pairing the bittersweet, herbal liqueur with espresso and coffee liqueur. Despite the name, the drink contains no actual chocolate; its cocoa-toned character comes from the amaro and coffee liqueur.
It is a direct descendant of the Espresso Martini, credited to bartender Dick Bradsell in London in the 1980s as a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso. Boden's version turns that bright, caffeinated modern classic into a more bitter, dessert-like after-dinner drink.
FAQ
What is in an Italian Chocolate Martini?
30 ml fresh hot espresso, 45 ml amaro such as Averna, and 15 ml crème de café liqueur. Despite the name, there is no chocolate in it; the cocoa-like taste comes from the amaro and coffee liqueur.
