Café de Olla (in a Drip Coffee Machine)

Café de Olla is a Mexican coffee drink traditionally made with steeping coffee beans, spices, and sugar in a clay pot. This FoodtokTV version by Cooking With Father Preneur is made using your own drip coffee maker at home with coffee beans, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and pilocillo, or brown sugar as a substitute.

Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons coffee beans (freshly ground, medium grind)

• 56 ounces (7 cups) water

• 1 small piloncillo cone (or ½ cup packed dark brown sugar as a substitute)

• 8 whole cloves

• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

• ¼ cup ground cinnamon

• 1 star anise pod (or just the “arm” of a pod if preferred)

  Optional Garnishes:

• Cream or milk

• Coffee liqueur

Directions

1. Measure and grind 18 tablespoons of coffee beans to a medium grind.

2. Fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir with 56 ounces (7 cups) of water.

3. Place the coffee grounds in the coffee machine’s filter basket.

4. Add the cloves, broken cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and star anise to the cheesecloth. Tie it securely to form a spice sachet.

5. Place the spice sachet and the piloncillo cone (or brown sugar) into the coffee urn/container where the brewed coffee will collect.

6. Start the brewing process. The brewed coffee will mix with the piloncillo and spices in the urn.

7. Once brewing is complete, allow the coffee to steep with the spice sachet for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the piloncillo dissolves completely.

8. Serve hot, adding cream or coffee liqueur to taste, if desired.

   Pro Tip: For an authentic presentation, serve in small clay mugs for a traditional touch.