How to make the perfect iced coffee "all'Italiana"

Everyone knows: we Italians love espresso coffee! When the summer heat comes, there is nothing more satisfying than a good iced coffee. Here are some tips for a delicious "caffè freddo".

Cold espresso, perfect for summer 

Giuseppe Verdi, one of the most prominent and beloved Italian composers, best known for his operas, once said, "Coffee is the balm of heart and spirit." The great musician was indeed right. Nothing is better for the spirit than a cup of coffee...hot or cold! The truth is that many Italians, even in summer, do not give up their "tazzina di caffè bollente," the hot cup of coffee! Do you remember? Coffee for Italians must be short, hot, and espresso.

Nevertheless, preparing cold coffee to keep in the refrigerator was a habit adored by mothers and grandmothers. The preparation of this classic summer drink is really very easy. Our mothers used to prepare espresso coffee with a moka, sweeten it to taste, let it cool at room temperature, and then put it in the refrigerator in a glass bottle. They rarely added water, because, you know, we Italians love our coffee strong! 

Iced coffee

Grandma's version of "caffè freddo" is really very simple. All you need to do is to be very careful about the quality of the coffee blend you use. First of all, instant coffee is absolutely banned! It would be best if you used moka or pods. Another caution is to use brown sugar for a more enveloping flavor.

Coffee with ice

In this version, coffee should be brewed with a moka machine (or a pod machine), then sweetened (white or brown sugar is fine, as long as it is not a sweetener), allowed to cool to room temperature, and then poured into a glass filled with ice.

Caffè shakerato

To prepare this coffee you will need a shaker. It is not difficult. You will just need to follow all the steps necessary to prepare coffee over ice, with the only addition of using the shaker.Per preparare questo caffè vi servirà uno shaker. Non è difficile. Vi basterà seguire tutti i passaggi necessari per preparare il caffè sul ghiaccio, con la sola aggiunta dell’uso dello shaker.

Coffee with ice cream

A mouthwatering version of iced coffee is to add ice cream. Try making it at home; it's super easy. Make coffee with a moka, sweeten it and add vanilla or hazelnut ice cream while the coffee is still hot. Mix the coffee and ice cream well. At this point, let it cool and place it in a glass bottle. Shake it well before serving.

Our selection

At Magnifico we have a selection of coffees of which we are very proud. It is among the products that our loyal customers love the most! In fact, Magnifico selects for you coffees that come from controlled farms, strictly quality-conscious producers. You will feel the difference in every sip!