A recipe for Rüdesheimer Kaffee (Rüdesheim-Style Coffee)! This indulgent drink from Rüdesheim am Rhein pairs freshly brewed coffee with brandy, sugar, and whipped cream.
Disclaimer: Consume alcoholic beverages at your own risk and liability. This recipe is intended only for those over the age of 21 (in the United States). Please drink responsibly. Flambé the alcohol at your own risk and liability. Only use a long match and a spoon with a long handle to keep your hands away from the flame.
My dad was recently cleaning out his basement and came across his old Rüdesheimer Kaffeetassen (Rüdesheim coffee cups) still in the box! He gave them to me and I was inspired to finally make Rüdesheimer Kaffee at home.
Rüdesheim am Rhein is a picturesque town in Hessen, Germany situated along the Rhein river in the Rheingau wine region. Unfortunately, I haven’t visited in a long time, minus briefly waving hello from the window during a train ride from Frankfurt am Main to Bad Ems last year.
The town is home to Asbach, one of the oldest producers of brandy in Germany. In 1957, Hans Karl Adam, a famous television chef, created Rüdesheimer Kaffee in collaboration with the company.
To make the drink at home, use a long match to light hot brandy in a coffee cup with sugar cubes and stir for about a minute until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Once dissolved, pour in strong, freshly brewed coffee and extinguish the flame. Top with a layer of homemade vanilla sugar-whipped cream and grated chocolate before serving immediately.
Notable Ingredients
Vanilla sugar adds a wonderful light vanilla flavor to the homemade whipped cream topping. You can buy small packets of vanilla sugar in the European or baking section of many larger supermarkets, but it is easy to make at home.
Scrape out the seeds of one vanilla bean and mix well with 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container with the scraped out vanilla beans.
Asbach Uralt is a German brandy produced since 1892. It is aged for at least three years in Limousin-oak casks to create a deep amber color with notes of spice, dried fruit, and oak.
For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to find Asbach Uralt at my local Virginia ABC store. If unavailable, swap for another favorite brandy or cognac.
A Few Rüdesheimer Kaffee Tips
The traditional Rüdesheimer Kaffeetassen (Rüdesheim-style coffee cups) are white with a red band above the center featuring scenes from the area. It has a capacity of 1 1/4 cups (300 milliliters). If unavailable, swap for a heatproof mug.
Prepare the coffee immediately before assembling the drink and set it aside. You will need it nearby to put out the fire in the cup.
If avoiding caffeine, swap for a decaffeinated, freshly brewed black coffee.
Beat the cream with the vanilla sugar just until stiff peaks form. Do not over-beat or the cream may separate, become dense, and lose its light texture. If desired, transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag with a star tip. I like to pipe the whipped cream onto a plate first, then transfer it directly over the coffee using a large spoon.
Heat the Asbach Uralt either in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in a double boiler (bain marie) on the stove until hot before adding to the coffee cup. Do not bring to a boil.
Use a long match and a spoon with a long handle to keep your hands away from the fire. Take care, the cup will be hot.
Stir the lit brandy with the sugar cubes until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 1 minute.
The flame is best seen in darker light. If it doesn’t extinguish after adding the coffee, briefly cover the cup with a heat-proof plate.
Leave about an inch (2.5 centimeters) at the top of the cup when pouring in the coffee to make room for the whipped cream.
Rüdesheimer Kaffee als Eiskaffee
The box also had a variation for Eiskaffee (coffee with ice cream). This version involves no fire and uses chilled coffee.
Start by adding a one or two scoops vanilla ice cream to the coffee cup. Pour the brandy over the ice cream, followed by cold coffee. Top with the vanilla whipped cream and grated chocolate. Serve immediately.
Looking for more coffee-based recipes?
Try my:
- Hopjesvla (Dutch Coffee Custard)
- Einspänner (Viennese Coffee with Whipped Cream)
- Japanese Coffee Jelly
Rüdesheimer Kaffee (Rüdesheim-Style Coffee) Recipe
Adapted from the recipe on the box/underside of the saucers
Rüdesheimer Kaffee (Rüdesheim-Style Coffee)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 3 sugar cubes
- 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces, 44 milliliters) Asbach Uralt
- 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) hot, strong black coffee
- 1 teaspoon grated bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Beat the cream and vanilla sugar using a hand mixer or a whisk just until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Place the three sugar cubes in a traditional Rüdesheimer coffee cup or a heatproof mug.
- Heat the brandy in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in a double boiler just until hot. Do not bring to a boil. Pour into the cup over the sugar cubes.
- Use a spoon with a long handle to bring up a sugar cube soaked in the brandy and hold just over the cup.
- Light a long match and touch briefly to the brandy-soaked sugar in the spoon to catch it on fire.
- Carefully bring down the spoon into the cup with the remaining brandy and sugar cubes. Once the fire has spread to the rest of the liquid, stir for about 1 minute, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Carefully pour in the freshly brewed hot coffee to put out the fire.
- Top with the whipped cream and cover with grated chocolate.
- Serve immediately.
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