Turkish coffee is a rich, thick, and delightful drink to be enjoyed slowly with good company. It is brewed in a copper coffee pot called a cezve (jez-VEY), made with powder-like ground coffee, and sweetened to the drinker's taste. Creating the perfect cup of Turkish coffee is a splendid way to show off your coffee-making skills.
Enjoyed for centuries throughout the Middle East and Balkans, the method for making traditional Turkish coffee varies slightly by region and household. It is not difficult but requires practice to get the strong brew's signature foam on top.
This style of coffee is not filtered. Instead, the coffee is ground so finely that it resembles flour and becomes part of the drink. The methods of measuring are also different: Use the serving cup to measure the water and a teaspoon from your dinnerware for the coffee and sugar. You can brew the coffee with varying amounts of sweetness or leave it unsweetened.
Turkish coffee is served in demitasse-sized cups with tall sides that hold about 2 1/2 ounces. It is never stirred during or after brewing. Some people like to brew it with milk, and the additions (sugar and milk) are always added to the brewing pot rather than the cup. With an intense flavor similar to a really thick espresso, it's often served with a glass of cold water as a palate cleanser. Turkish delight is a popular sweet to enjoy with the coffee, though chocolate is a tasty alternative.
Ingredients
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5 to 6 ounces cold water
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2 tablespoons extra finely-ground coffee, such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi brand Turkish coffee
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1 to 3 teaspoons sugar, optional
1. Gather your ingredients
Fortunately, there are not many ingredients to make Turkish coffee. They are:
- Cold water (filtered and fresh, preferably)
- Finely ground coffee beans (Arabica, preferably)
- Sugar (optional)
- A Turkish coffee pot
- Turkish coffee cups
2. Add Coffee
Use a tablespoon to scoop a healthy spoonful of ground coffee and dump it in the pot. For every cup you are going to serve, add one tablespoon of coffee. If you want to add sugar to the coffee, now is the time to add it. You do not add the sugar after the coffee is done cooking.
3. Add water
You should add more than one cup per serving’s worth of cold water to the pot. Remember that water will evaporate when you heat the mixture, so you must account for that. Add one and a half cups of water for every serving, with a single “cup” measurement equaling the cups you are using to serve coffee.
4. Mix and heat
Mix your coffee, sugar (if desired), and water in the pot and set it on the stovetop. Set the burner to medium heat. It will take less than five minutes until the water comes to a boil and for the coffee to reach its final stage.
You’ll know the coffee is ready when dark foam on top forms.
Many people let the coffee boil, then either stir or pour part of the coffee into a cup, return the remaining coffee to a boil, then serve the rest.
5. Serve
As you pour the coffee evenly into each cup, maintain the foam as much as possible. If necessary, scoop some of the foam from the pot to place on top of each cup of coffee. The foam is a statement feature of Turkish coffee, and you shouldn’t do without it!
Turkish coffee grounds are so fine that they remain in the coffee when served and do not detract from a pleasant experience. However, it is customary to allow the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup after pouring. Turkish coffee is also served without any milk or cream.
With minimal preparation and cook time, Turkish coffee takes less than ten minutes and is a delightful treat. It’s an ideal post-dinner drink. The beverage is often served with chocolate or Turkish delight, which are both smooth and mild, balancing the potency of the coffee
