With so many choices of coffee drinks, it is really tough to keep track of the variations, names, and recipes. There are so many varieties of espresso drinks itself. That’s where a blog like ours can help you.
Today, we will present Viennese coffee and answer all the pertinent questions about this espresso-based coffee drink.
What Is Viennese Coffee?
Viennese Coffee drink, in its most basic form, contains espresso topped with a generous quantity of whipped cream followed by a sprinkling of cocoa powder. Traditionally, this hot coffee beverage is served in a tall, handled glass.
Viennese Coffee is referred to as “Einspänner,” which is a German word for one-horse carriages. It is said that the drivers could carry the coffee glass in one hand while managing the reins with the other. The whipped cream will not allow the drink to fall and keep the coffee warm for a longer time, even in cold weather.
Traditionally, the Einspänner is not stirred and drunk through the whipped cream. The presence of a huge dollop of whipped cream instead of milk and sugar makes the coffee flavor reach you through the creamy top resulting in a sweet and delicious creamy coffee.
Viennese Coffee Shop Culture
Vienna is famous for its coffee house culture, with the Viennese coffee house playing a profound role in shaping it with many other notable coffee houses. The Viennese coffee house culture is listed as an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco with a description “where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill.”
The atmosphere, the elegance, the ability to meet people, the permission to sit for long hours, and a long list of drinks to choose from made them really famous among people from all walks of life.
Some of the popular drinks other than Einspänner include the Franziskaner (known as Espresso Con Panna in Italy), Wiener Melange (quite similar to Franziskaner but without the cream), kleiner Schwarzer, großer Schwarzer, kleiner Brauner / großer Brauner, Biedermeier, etc.
Kleiner/ großer Schwarzer refers to single and double espresso, while kleiner / großer Brauner is also single and double shots of espresso served with a jug of steamed milk to add as per your choice. Biedermeier has whipped cream added to it with a shot of apricot liquor.
A Viennese Coffee Recipe
The traditional Viennese coffee served in most coffee shops in Vienna carries a double shot of espresso, to which 50% to 60% volume of hot water is added. This is followed by whipped cream, sugar (optional), and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.
Ingredients of Vienna Coffee and Equipment needed.
The main ingredients of Viennese Coffee are:
- 0.5 to 0.75 oz (16 to 23 g) of finely ground coffee beans to prepare the espresso shots.
- Double espresso Shot (1.5 to 2 fl. oz), 45 to 60 ml.
- One ounce or 30 ml of hot water.
- Heavy Cream, sweetened to suit your taste, about 1/2 cup.
- 1/2 tablespoon of Cocoa Powder.
- Espresso Machine or stovetop Moka pot or AeroPress.
- Digital measure or a kitchen scale.
How To Make Vienna Coffee
You can make Viennese coffee at home using the above-listed ingredients and following the steps listed below.
- Collect all the ingredients in one place.
- Take organic, pasteurized heavy cream with 35 to 38% fat content in a clean bowl. Do not go in for the ultrapasteurized variety, as it is difficult to whip and has fewer flavors. Add one tablespoon of brown sugar or any other sweetener to your taste. Whip the cream with a whisk or an electric egg beater till you get stiff peaks that hold the shape of the cream.
- You can use your espresso machine to prepare the two shots of espresso. If you do not have an espresso machine, you may use the stovetop Moka pot or an Aeropress.
- Else prepare four ounces of a strong brewed coffee of your choice.
- Take a pre-warmed glass with a handle and mix the coffee with hot water in the glass.
- Add the whipped cream in almost an equal volume to the coffee drink. It is better to use a spoon and pour the cream on its backside to make an initial barrier between the cream and espresso and the cream. After pouring about 1/4th of the cream over it, remove the spoon and continue to pour the balance cream.
- Sprinkle the Cocoa powder or chocolate shaving and/or cinnamon over the cream, and
- Serve immediately.
Common Variations of the Vienna Coffee.
Viennese coffee is characterized by the presence of chocolate. There are many other chocolate drinks like Mocha which carries a shot of hot chocolate or chocolate syrup and two-thirds steamed milk. You may use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate if you like.
This site describes the recipes for the preparation of the Iced Einspänner.
Vienna Coffee Vs Espresso Con Panna
Out of all the coffee drinks with whipped cream in them, the Espresso Con Panna, an Italian coffee drink, is the closest to the Viennese coffee in the recipe. It means “Coffee with cream” in Italian.
Espresso Con Panna is called Franziskaner in Vienna and café Viennois in the UK and France. The main difference lies in the fact that Con Panna is not diluted with water. Also, you do not have the option of replacing the espresso with any other brewed strong black coffee.
Con Panna is made with a single or double-shot espresso topped with an equal volume of whipped cream.
Is Viennese Coffee Healthy
Any drink made with heavy cream as one of the ingredients is bound to be high in calories and fat. A half cup of heavy whipped cream (four ounces) has 400 calories and 43 grams of fat content. On the plus side, it contains many fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D, A, E, and K. The absorption of these vitamins is much better when consumed with fat.
How much Caffeine is in Viennese coffee
Each normal espresso shot carries about 63 mg of caffeine content. If you use two normal shots of espresso in your Viennese coffee, you will consume about 126 mg of caffeine. If you use 1/2 tablespoon (3 mg) of cocoa powder for garnish, that will be an additional 6 mg of caffeine. Thus your Viennese coffee with a normal double-shot espresso with half a tablespoon of cocoa powder will carry 132 mg of caffeine.
Final Thoughts
Viennese coffee is a delicious way to enjoy espresso with a little bit of indulgence. We hope that you tried the drink at your local coffeehouse or prepared it at your home. Share your experience in the comments section below with our readers.