Cortadito

Cortadito: Half milk, half Cuban coffee

Posted by Matthew A. Gonzalez

Tags: Coffee, Cuban, Dessert, Drink

At the end of any lunch or dinner I eat out at a Cuban restaurant, I always order a cortadito. It’s a good gauge on a meal. A lot of times it’ll be an indicator of whether to leave a good tip or just a normal tip because it’s usually the waiter or waitress that’ll make it. The drink is simple and thought of more as a dessert than a pick-me-up. The instructions and ingredients will be just about identical to the café-con-leche breakfast I posted recently.

Ingredients for two

  • 1/3 cup of water
  • 2 tbsp of Cuban coffee
  • 4 tsp of sugar
  • 1 cup of milk

Tools & cookware

  • Small espresso maker
  • Small creamer

Instructions for the café con leche

  1. Fill the bottom of the espresso maker with the water. If your coffee maker is a little bit bigger or smaller, a trick is to fill it up to the pressure release hole on the side.
  2. Place the filter into the bottom piece and fill with coffee. Do not pack the coffee in with your spoon as it will make it difficult for the water/steam to pour through the tightly packed coffee. Tightly screw on the top.
  3. Set your stove top to medium heat, and place the coffee maker on the outter edge of the burner. Fill the creamer with the sugar.
  4. Important: Carefully watch the coffee maker. It should take between three and five minutes to start pouring out. Once the first ounce or two of the coffee start to pour out, pick up the coffee maker and pour the first bit into the creamer. Place the coffee maker back on the burner to allow the rest of the coffee to brew.
  5. Stir the sugar and coffee mixture in the creamer until you get a thick, light-brown, sugary paste.
  6. When the coffee is done brewing, pour the remaining coffee into the creamer and stir slowly until a sugary, light-brown froth appears at the top of the coffee.
  7. Heat up two small mugs or cups filled half-way with milk. Stir in coffee until the mixture is 50-50 and enjoy!
Well, what do you think?

  1. Hey Matt,

    Good job with the website. I just came from Miami and one of the cuban guys I went with took me to his favorite spot to get a cortadito. Needless to say, it was excellent. The only thing that this place did different than your recipe was that they used evaporated milk instead of whole milk. Give it a try, its really good!!!

    Jeff Courtney

    — Jeff Courtney · Sep 25, 01:07 PM · #

  2. Jeff,

    I’ve had it with evaporated milk, and you’re right, it’s excellent. Versailles is famous for that.

    Another thing I’ve heard for cortaditos and café con leche is adding a pinch of salt.

    Both techniques are common for Cubans, just not the way I had it at home.

    Glad you enjoyed it!

    — Matthew · Jan 10, 03:16 PM · #