The freddo is a Greek beverage that’s been sipped for decades. It’s an iced coffee drink made from fresh espresso and frothed milk, and it combines the refreshment of a cold coffee with the robust flavor of a double espresso. It’s no surprise that this drink is served cold by default, since Greece is pretty warm and sunny year-round in fact Greece enjoys on average more than 250 days of sunshine or 3,000 sunny hours a year making it one of the most sunniest countries in the world and THE most sunny in Europe!
The Nation that gave the world a taste for Cold Coffee Greeks created the frappé in 1957 but they didn’t stop there: they then invented the freddo cappuccino and the freddo espresso in 1993.
The freddo is essentially the same drink as the frappe, except it’s made with espresso instead of instant coffee. Both drinks are also prepared in a similar fashion, but a frappe can also be served blended. You may not see a freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino at an American Starbucks, but there’s no doubt that the chain’s increasingly popular cold foam-topped beverages were inspired by the Greek drink after all Greeks invented everything.
The freddo cappuccino is not to be confused with freddo espresso. Both iced drinks have many variations, but a popular version of the freddo espresso calls for blending a hot double espresso with ice and sugar in a drink mixer, which creates a layer of foam on top of the drink.
The freddo cappuccino is alternatively finished with a layer of cold, foamy milk. There’s also such a thing as a freddo flat white, which is served with un-aerated milk on the bottom and a layer of aerated espresso on top. (It’s also served cold, but not over ice.)
The freddo cappuccino has been making the rounds on both Instagram and TikTok thanks to Food52 resident and content creator Carolina Gelen’s viral recipe, which calls for instant espresso or coffee instead of freshly pulled shots (meaning anyone can make this beverage, even without an espresso machine or grinder).
Using quality espresso that you enjoy is key to making a delicious freddo cappuccino. Traditionally, the recipe starts with freshly pulled espresso shots on ice, but some viral renditions of the drink call for instant espresso powder instead, which requires hot water.
You can add sugar to the espresso after it’s prepared, but purists will tell you that leaving the drink unsweetened will better allow the coffee’s aroma and flavor to shine. Either way, try to use a full-bodied espresso with low or medium acidity.
Also, creating the beverage in a drink mixer or a cocktail shaker is not only less fussy than using a blender, but it also turns the coffee cold in a flash without crushing the ice, and consequently diluting the espresso.
Skim milk is often the preferred dairy of choice since it creates a more thicker foam, but you can use cream, whole milk or even non-dairy milk if you’d prefer.
Finally, resist the urge to stir the milk and espresso together once you top the glass.
Drinking a freddo cappuccino with distinct layers allows the milk to incorporate itself into the drink at its own pace, so the texture and flavor of the drink will change as you sip it.
(Greeks can sip of these beauty's for hours occasionally topping it up with water.)
Step 1: Add two hot shots of espresso to a cup. (If you’re using instant espresso powder or instant coffee, add hot water to the powder and stir until dissolved. Add the sugar as well, if you want it sweetened.) Fill a cocktail shaker or jar with ice. Add the espresso to the cocktail shaker and lightly shake to chill the espresso. Pour the chilled espresso and ice into a drinking glass and reserve.
Step 2: Add three parts heavy cream and one part milk to a lidded jar or cocktail shaker. Shake until the milk is frothed enough to hold soft peaks.
Step 3: Pour the frothed milk over the iced espresso and enjoy.