El Carajillo Quemado
(el kah-rah-HEE-yoh keh-MAH-doh)
El Domingo y La Sobremesa
You’ve probably seen a Carajillo shaken over ice with a bright yellow liqueur at some trendy downtown restaurant. That’s a modern invention. This is the Carajillo Quemado, the uncompromising, blue-collar digestif of Spanish taverns and long Sunday afternoons. It requires fire, a little physics, and the patience to let the table linger. By flambéing dark rum with lemon, cinnamon, and coffee beans, you burn off the harshness and build a deeply aromatic syrup. It is exactly how the grandfather would have ordered it, and how the grandmother would have known to make it.
Before you start
Carefully peel the lemon.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave off a strip of the bright yellow skin, ensuring absolutely no bitter white pith comes with it.
Brew the coffee.
Pull a fresh shot of espresso or brew a dense, dark roast in a stovetop Moka pot just before you begin the flambé process.
Ingredients
- dark rum or Spanish brandy1 1/2 oz
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
- lemon peel1 small
- cinnamon stick1 small
- whole roasted coffee beans3
- espresso or strong dark-roast coffee2 oz
Method
- 01
Combine the aromatic base in a small heatproof glass.
Add the dark rum, sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, and coffee beans together in a sturdy glass.
- 02
Warm the alcohol in the microwave.
Room temperature liquor is stubborn to light. Microwave the glass for exactly 30 seconds to release the vapors and ensure a safe, effortless ignition.
- 03
Ignite the mixture and stir continuously.
Using a long kitchen lighter, catch the vapors on fire. Immediately stir with a long spoon for 30 to 45 seconds to dissolve the sugar, extract the essential oils, and burn off the harsh alcoholic bite.
- 04
Smother the flame to end the flambé.
Once the syrup has reduced to your liking, simply place a small saucer flat over the top of the glass to cut off the oxygen.
- 05
Float the hot coffee over the syrup to create the layers.
Rest the back of your spoon just above the surface of the heavy syrup. Slowly pour the hot espresso over the spoon so it floats, leaving you with distinct layers of syrup, dark coffee, and golden crema.
- 06
Serve immediately and stir before drinking.
Despite the beautiful presentation, the drink must be vigorously stirred by the guest right before consuming to mix the sweet base with the bitter coffee.
Notes
Do not attempt a mass flambé.
If making these for a large Sunday crowd, do not try to ignite a large bowl of liquor indoors. Prepare them individually or in pairs to respect the flame and ensure the right ratio for every glass.
Choosing the right glass.
Use a small, thick-walled glass like a traditional vaso de cristal or a Gibraltar glass that can safely withstand both the microwave and the direct heat of the flame.
From Cook Spanish in America.