Godiva Irish Coffee

Godiva Irish coffee is a sweeter, mellower spin on the classic Irish coffee. Instead of leaning on whiskey for backbone, it pairs chocolate cream liqueur (Godiva is the namesake) with a smaller pour of Irish cream-style liqueur, then floats them in hot black coffee.

The chocolate liqueur does the talking, weaving cocoa and cream into every sip, while the Irish cream rounds the edges and lifts the dairy notes. A blanket of whipped cream on top is optional, but it slows the first sip and lets you taste the espresso-roast bitterness through the sweet, warm cream underneath.

Use strong, freshly brewed coffee. Weak diner-pot coffee disappears against the liqueur and turns this into hot syrup. A French press or moka pot brew works beautifully.

Pro Tips

• Warm the mug first by rinsing with hot water. Cold ceramic drops the temperature of the drink and dulls the aromatics.
• Pour the liqueurs in first, then top with hot coffee. The heat blooms the chocolate notes as the spirits dissolve.
• Don’t stir if you want the whipped cream to float, drink the coffee through the cool cream layer for the proper Irish-coffee texture contrast.
• Use real freshly whipped cream, not aerosol. The latter dissolves on contact with the hot liquid.

Variations

• Add a half-ounce of Irish whiskey for a boozier, more traditional Irish coffee profile.
• Garnish with a few chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder over the cream.
• Use cold brew concentrate over ice with the liqueurs and a cold cream float for a summer version.