Turkish coffee is a traditional Turkish beverage that’s popular in Turkey and other parts of Europe and Asia. There are a few things that set Turkish coffee apart from other varieties, and the most important include the grind of the beans, the cezve used to brew the coffee, and the foam that’s created during brewing. This beverage can be brewed with spices and sugar, and it’s important to make each cup according to the preferences of the drinker.
Ingredients
Makes one cup
- 1.7 ounces (50 ml) water
- 2 teaspoons (3.5 g) finely ground coffee
- 1 to 4 teaspoons (or kasik) (5 to 19 g) sugar, to taste
Steps
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Measure the coffee. Turkish coffees are small beverages made with strong coffee. Each cup of coffee should be made with about 2 teaspoons (3.5 g) (also known as kasik of coffee) grounds. If you're working with whole beans that must be ground, measure 2 heaping teaspoons of beans for each coffee.
- Arabica beans are most often used for Turkish coffee, and Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi is among the most popular brands.
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Grind the beans. Because Turkish coffee doesn’t get filtered, it’s important to grind the beans extremely finely. You can use a Turkish coffee mill if you have one, or use the finest setting on an electric grinder. You can also grind fresh beans at the grocery store, and many of these grinders have a Turkish coffee setting. [1] X Research source
- Properly ground Turkish coffee beans will look like soft cocoa powder. [2] X Research source
- Because the beans must be so finely ground, many people purchase pre-ground Turkish coffee blends.
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Measure the water. Turkish coffee is served in a special cup known as a fincan. The easiest way to measure the water for the coffee is to pour the water into the fincan. Measure one and a half fincans worth of water for each coffee. This works out to about 1.7 ounces (50 ml) of water. [3] X Research source
- For the best tasting coffee, always use water that’s cold and fresh.
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Measure the sugar. Sugar is an optional ingredient in Turkish coffee, and everybody has an individual preference. There are typically four sugar levels used to sweeten Turkish coffee:
- Sade: no sugar (unsweetened)
- Az seker: 1 teaspoon (4.5 g) of sugar (mildly sweet)
- Orta: 2 teaspoons (9 g) of sugar (sweet)
- Sekerli: 3 to 4 teaspoons (14 to 18.75 g) of sugar (very sweet)
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Combine the ingredients. Turkish coffee is brewed in a cezve (also called an ibrik). This is a small, long-handled pot made of brass or copper. [4] X Research source Combine the coffee, water, and desired amount of sugar in the cezve and stir vigorously to combine all the ingredients.
- For an added spice, you can also stir in â…› teaspoon (0.25 g) of cardamom to the cezve, or a single cardamom pod. [5] X Research source
- If you don’t have a cezve, you can use a small saucepan instead. A cezve can be purchased online, or from some specialty coffee shops.
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Heat the coffee. Turn a gas stove to low flame, or an electric stove to low heat. Place the pot on the heat and stir the ingredients together for one minute. After a minute, stop stirring and leave the coffee to brew. [6] X Research source
- Keep the heat or flame low when you brew the coffee. You don’t want the water to boil, or it will change the flavor of the coffee and destroy the foam that you want to build. [7] X Research source
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Brew the coffee until the foam forms. One of the most important elements of Turkish coffee is the foam that forms on top. As the coffee brews, the dark foam will build around the rim of the beverage. This will take three to four minutes. Pay close attention to the coffee as it brews to watch for the foam, but don’t stir it.
- If the coffee looks like it might begin to boil, remove it from the heat for a few seconds to cool it down.
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Pour the foam into the cup. After three to four minutes, when the foam has formed on the top of the coffee, remove the cezve from the heat and pour the foam into your fincan. Then, return the cezve to the heat. [8] X Research source
- To remove the foam from the cezve, you may have to use a spoon to help pour it out.
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Continue heating the coffee. Brew the coffee for an additional 15 to 20 seconds after returning it to the heat.This will give the coffee a chance to raise again, which means coming close to a boil and creating new foam.
- Some traditions call for three to four raisings (removing the cezve from the heat, pouring out the foam, and returning it to the heat), whereas some say to do this once or not at all. You can experiment with different methods to find your preferred flavors.
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Pour the coffee. After about 20 seconds, remove the cezve from the heat. Pour the full contents of the cezve into the fincan, foam, grounds, and all. Serve the coffee immediately while it’s still hot and fresh. [9] X Research source
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Clean coffee spills from the glass. After pouring the coffee, use a damp cloth to clean any coffee that may have spilled on the rim or down the side of the fincan. Place the fincan on a saucer before serving it.
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Serve the eldest guests first. In Turkey and many other areas of the world, it is considered disrespectful to serve younger guests before older ones. When you're making coffee for a group of people, always serve the coffee first to the older guests, and then serve according to age (from eldest to youngest).
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Let the grounds settle before drinking. As the coffee cools in the fincan, the grounds will settle to the bottom. This will allow you to enjoy the coffee without drinking the grounds. Let the coffee sit for at least 30 seconds before taking your first sip. [10] X Research source
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Serve the coffee with Turkish delight. Turkish coffee is often served with a few small treats or sweet snacks, and a piece of Turkish delight is a wonderful way to complement the coffee. Other treats you can serve with this coffee include: [11] X Research source
- Cookies
- Chocolates
- Candies
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Serve the coffee with a glass of water. Sipping water is a great way to clean your palate, so Turkish coffee is usually served with a glass of water. That way, you can take a sip before drinking the coffee and get the most enjoyment out of it. [12] X Research source
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Take small sips of the coffee. This type of coffee is small and strong, and it’s best consumed in small sips. [13] X Research source Not only will this help the coffee last longer, but the air you breathe in when you sip will also help aerate the coffee and bring out its flavors.
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Don’t drink the last sip. The final one to two sips of Turkish coffee are coffee grounds that have settled on the bottom. When you get near the end of your coffee, set it down on the saucer without drinking the last bit, otherwise you'll get a mouthful of grounds. [14] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan you grind coffee in a food processor?Jaden Zhao is a Barista and the Owner of Jiaren Cafe & Yoga Studio in Santa Clara, California. Her cafe specializes in matcha drinks, espresso, coffee, fruit drinks, and herbal drinks. Additionally, the cafe hosts classes and features a yoga studio and a community space. Jaden earned an MS from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.No, that's not a good idea—a food processor won't grind the coffee consistently enough.
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QuestionWhat is the secret to froth?ismet cem alkanCommunity AnswerStir the coffee just before cooking, and never stir again. Step 5 is for novices. For the right amount of froth, the trick is never boiling the coffee. The froth is at its maximum rate just before the boiling point.
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QuestionWhy is the froth important?Community AnswerThe froth leaves a nice texture in your mouth, as well as highlighting your coffee-making skills.
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References
- ↑ https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/category-s/221.htm
- ↑ http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/01/how-to-make-turkish-coffee-at-home-in-an-ibrik-instructions-tips-technique-coffee-brewing.html
- ↑ https://ineedcoffee.com/preparing-a-traditional-turkish-coffee/
- ↑ http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/coffee/how-prepare-turkish-coffee
- ↑ http://www.food.com/recipe/turkish-coffee-173525
- ↑ https://www.theistanbulinsider.com/how-to-make-perfect-turkish-coffee-and-its-social-importance/
- ↑ https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/category-s/221.htm
- ↑ https://www.theistanbulinsider.com/how-to-make-perfect-turkish-coffee-and-its-social-importance/
- ↑ https://ineedcoffee.com/preparing-a-traditional-turkish-coffee/
- ↑ https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/category-s/221.htm
- ↑ https://www.theistanbulinsider.com/how-to-make-perfect-turkish-coffee-and-its-social-importance/
- ↑ https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/category-s/221.htm
- ↑ https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/category-s/221.htm
- ↑ http://coffee-brewing-methods.com/how-to-make-turkish-coffee/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Before you make Turkish coffee, measure out 2 teaspoons of coffee, one and a half times the cold water that your serving cup holds, and 1-4 teaspoons of sugar if you want your coffee sweetened. Then, combine the coffee, water, and sugar in your Turkish coffee pot or a pan. Next, heat the coffee on low, stirring it for the first minute before letting it brew for another 3-4 minutes. When the coffee foams, pour the foam into your cup, then put the coffee back on the heat for 15-20 seconds, until it foams again. Finally, pour the coffee in your cup and enjoy! For tips on how to serve and drink Turkish coffee, keep reading!
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