Café de Olla
This is a coffee meant to be made on the stovetop and served directly from the pot. It is robust, aromatic, and carries the distinct woody scent of real cinnamon.
Use a clay pot if you have one.
While any saucepan works, a traditional clay vessel known as a barro pot keeps the heat steady and contributes an earthy aroma to the water as it boils.
- Medium clay pot or saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fine mesh strainer
What goes in.
- 4 cupswater
- 3 ozpiloncillo (raw cane sugar cone)
- 1 stickcinnamon (true Mexican canela)
- 4 tbspcoarsely ground dark roast coffee
- 1 striporange peel (optional)
Do not boil the grounds
Add the coffee grounds only after removing the pot from the heat. This prevents the coffee from becoming bitter and maintains the integrity of the spices.
The method.
Heat the water
Pour the water into your pot and add the piloncillo, cinnamon stick, and optional orange peel. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Dissolve the sugar
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the piloncillo has completely dissolved into the water.
Add the coffee
Remove the pot from the heat entirely. Stir in the coffee grounds, cover the pot with a lid, and let it steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
Strain and serve
Pass the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer directly into mugs, leaving the grounds and cinnamon stick behind.
Other turns to take.
Spiced Punch
Add a single star anise pod or two whole cloves during the initial simmer for a more complex, medicinal profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you cannot find piloncillo, substitute with dark brown sugar, though it lacks the molasses-like depth of the raw cone.
Use a medium-coarse grind for the coffee, similar to what you would use for a French press, to ensure easy straining.
Warm your mugs with hot water before pouring to keep the coffee hot for longer.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this in a regular coffee maker?
It is not recommended. The piloncillo syrup can clog the internal mechanisms of a drip coffee machine, and the infusion process requires the specific heat retention of a pot.
How do I know the piloncillo is fully dissolved?
Use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot; if you feel grit, continue simmering until it is smooth.
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