Your Irish Coffee Deserves Better — Avoid This Whipped Cream Mistake

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When making an Irish coffee, the whipped cream often gets added as an afterthought, with many people choosing canned whipped cream over fresh. However, to make the perfect Irish coffee, all of the ingredients for this flavorful cold-weather cocktail should be high-quality. Tasting Table spoke with Molly Horn, the Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More, to get some expert tips on crafting this perfect holiday drink.

Her biggest tip for making Irish coffee is that making the whipped cream yourself, rather than using canned whipped cream, can seriously amp up the texture and flavor of the drink. She says, "A traditional Irish coffee should be topped with hand shaken whipped cream as the idea is (when made properly) it will start to slowly dissolve into and integrate into the cocktail — it truly should be an 'ingredient' rather than just a garnish." Homemade whipped cream tends to be thicker, creamier, and tastier than the canned variety. This means that it won't melt into your hot drink as quickly.

When you use quality whipped cream that is integrated perfectly into the cocktail, each sip will be the perfect mix of temperature, texture, and flavor. As Horn says, "If you're using a regular store-bought whipped cream, you'll find that there is a pretty stark contrast between the front of the sip and the middle through finish, since the intense sweetness of the whipped cream will be the initial taste followed by a much more bitter, spirit-forward experience." She went on to say that "there will be a slightly jarring experience from round creaminess replaced by a sharpness."

Horn also gave us some great advice for using a professional whipped cream dispenser like those used behind the bar. When purchasing one for home use, opt for a high-end yet affordable dispenser like this Otis Classic Professional Series Stainless Steel Whipped Cream Dispenser on Amazon. Next, Horn says, "remove the spring from your cocktail strainer and add it to your shaker tin with a healthy measure of heavy cream and my personal touch, a splash of Fireball (although traditionally it would be a couple barspoons of powdered sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract)."

Next, use the perfect technique for creating fluffy, luscious whipped cream. Horn says, "Shake really hard until you start to feel some resistance against the spring — about 20 to 40 seconds depending on how much cream you used." Your goal is to create the ideal texture and weight for topping a hot drink. Horn told us, "The idea is for it to be close to whipped cream, but still liquid enough that you can pour it onto the surface of the Irish coffee (rather than having to spoon it on top)."

Finally, you don't want to immediately stir the whipped cream into your cocktail. It is a garnish, and its purpose is to slowly integrate with the hot drink, melding all of the flavors together as you enjoy your cocktail. Horn explained, "I do really love using homemade whipped cream that immediately starts to meld with the rest of the cocktail, so you have a much more balanced taste experience without literally stirring the cream in at once." Following these tips will help you elevate your Irish coffee from a simple, two-ingredient cocktail into the perfect post-holiday-meal treat.