If you’ve never had Turkish coffee before, you’re in for a treat. The rich history, heavy flavors, and thick aromas of Turkish coffee are for the bold and adventurous. This is a drink brewed from centuries of tradition and steeped in ritual, resulting in a coffee experience like no other.
Turkish coffee can be incredibly strong, both in caffeine content and taste. It’s made by decoction, whereby very finely ground coffee, a little water, and a bit of sugar (optional) are put in a wide-bottomed traditional coffee pot called a cezve.
When the pot boils, the concentrated coffee foams over. A bit of this dark foam is spooned into each cup, then when the pot boils, the coffee is poured into the cups over the foam. The coffee is served with sipping water and a sweet treat of Turkish delight.
Now that you know the basics of how to make Turkish coffee, let’s get into the details of this deeply nuanced process. Turkish coffee is about friendship and togetherness, and by the end, you’ll be brewing and savoring it like an old friend.
What is Turkish Coffee? Origins and Culture
Turkish coffee, or Türk kahvesi as it’s known in Turkey, is more than just a cup of strong dark coffee. It’s a centuries-old tradition steeped in history, culture, and a whole lot of flavor.
First off, let’s talk about the origins. Turkish coffee dates back to the Ottoman Empire, making it one of the oldest ways to brew coffee in the world. They didn’t always know how to make Turkish coffee, but the Turkish Governor of Yemen, Özdemir Pasha, is often credited with its introduction into Turkish culture.
Turkish coffee was so loved and cherished that it was included in wedding ceremonies, where the bride-to-be was required to make a cup of Turkish coffee for her potential husband.
The tradition continues, but it’s now said some cheeky brides add salt instead of sugar to gauge how much their future husbands love them!
Despite this rich tradition going back centuries, Turkish coffee doesn’t necessarily mean coffee produced in Türkiye. Instead, it means coffee made using the special process we’re about to describe in detail.
Method: Making Traditional Turkish Coffee
Unlike your regular drip or espresso, Turkish coffee is made by brewing finely ground coffee beans in a small, long-handled pot called a Cezve.
The coffee grounds are simmered (not boiled!) in this pot, usually with sugar, until a frothy layer forms on top. The coffee is not filtered; hence, the coffee powder needs to be ground to a very fine, powdery consistency.
This is different from the high-pressure extraction of espresso or the slow drip of a French press we’re used to. For someone not used to the method, it’s easy to over-extract, which results in a bitter, overpowering taste of burnt coffee.
Thus, it’s super important to get everything right: the consistency of coffee grounds, the ratio of coffee to water, the pot, the temperature of water used, the stirring, and even the pouring.
Taste
And the taste? Imagine a coffee that’s rich, full-bodied, and intense, with a thick, frothy top layer that coffee lovers dream about. That’s Turkish coffee for you.
Traditional Turkish coffee is typically served in small cups, and the coffee is so strong that it’s usually enjoyed slowly, often over good conversation or a relaxing moment of solitude.
Grind
Turkish coffee calls for an ultra-fine grind, even finer than espresso. So, when you’re sipping on a cup of Turkish coffee, you’re getting all the flavors and oils directly from the grounds.
Serving
Turkish coffee is traditionally served in small, espresso-sized cups and the grounds are allowed to settle at the bottom.
And here’s a fun fact: once you’re done drinking traditional Turkish coffee, the remaining coffee grounds can be used for a spot of fortune telling, a popular pastime in Turkish culture!
Fortune Telling
This is a fun ritual carried over from the early days of Turkish coffee. After drinking, it’s traditional to use the leftover grounds in the cup for fortune telling.
When the grounds settle after the last sip, friends can try to interpret each other’s future by reading the grounds, or you can go a step further and consult a professional teller.
There are even mobile apps where you can take a picture of the grounds after enjoying Turkish coffee and get them interpreted for you. You don’t just drink Turkish coffee, you savor it as a deeply meaningful and soulful experience.
Equipment and Ingredients for Making Turkish Coffee
The star of the show is the cezve (also known as an ibrik). This is a small, long-handled Turkish coffee pot traditionally made of brass or copper. It’s specifically designed for making Turkish coffee, with its wide bottom, narrow neck, and pouring lip.
The unique shape helps to create the rich foam that Turkish coffee is famous for. For instance, the cezve’s wide bottom allows for even heat distribution, which is essential for slowly heating the mixture to the perfect temperature without boiling over.
The narrow neck minimizes surface area at the top, helping to trap the steam and increase the pressure slightly, which aids in the development of a rich, creamy foam on top of the coffee. This foam is a signature characteristic of Turkish coffee and is an indicator of a well-prepared brew.
The pouring lip ensures that you can serve the coffee without disturbing the grounds settled at the bottom, allowing for a clear pour.
Coffee Grinder
Turkish coffee requires a super fine grind, even finer than espresso. So, you’ll need a grinder that can achieve this consistency. A burr grinder is usually your best bet.
While some coffee aficionados prefer to grind their own beans to ensure the freshest flavor, many people opt for the convenience of pre-ground coffee, especially for Turkish coffee.
Pre-ground Turkish coffee is widely available and is ground to the appropriate fineness needed to maintain a good balance of flavor and froth.
Heating Source: Gas, Electric Stove, or Sand?
Traditionally, Turkish coffee is made over a gas stove, but an electric stove or hot sand can also be used. The key is to heat the coffee slowly and evenly with precise heat control to allow the flavors to fully develop.
You’ll also need Turkish coffee cups, also known as demitasses. These are smaller than your average coffee cup and better retain the heat of the coffee. Turkish coffee is served very hot, and the smaller cup ensures that the coffee remains at a high temperature while you drink.
Plus, the smaller size of the Turkish coffee cup is perfect for the strong, concentrated, and rich coffee. Due to their cultural significance, most demitasses come in beautiful, ornate designs that enhance the deeply sensory experience of casually sipping on the frothy beverage.
Can I Make Turkish Coffee Without a Cezve?
Absolutely!
While a cezve, also known as an ibrik, is the traditional Turkish coffee pot used to make this delicious coffee, you can still brew a decent cup without it. It’s all about improvisation and a love for coffee, right?
Here are some common alternatives:
- A Small Saucepan: Use one with a long handle for easy pouring; the key is to keep the heat low and slow, just like you would with a cezve.
- A Milk Warmer: A small warmer with a spout for easy pouring helps to heat the coffee slowly and evenly.
- An Espresso Maker: It’s unconventional, but you can use the steam wand of an espresso maker to heat your coffee, but mix your coffee and water in a separate container before steaming.
- Microwave: also unconventional, but you can use a microwave to heat your mixture of water and coffee just until it starts to froth (do not let it boil).
The key to a good Turkish coffee is slow and low heat, a good stir, and a watchful eye. So, even without a cezve, you can still enjoy a delightful cup of Turkish coffee.
You can even buy an automatic Turkish coffee maker to automate the experience, but the machine could trivialize the ritual of making and serving authentic Turkish coffee.
Just remember to serve it with a smile and a side of Turkish delight for the full experience!
Which Coffee Beans are Best for Turkish Coffee?
Turkish coffee is traditionally made with Arabica beans because of their sweet, delicate taste, which helps them produce a smooth coffee with less bitterness.
For the roast level, Turkish coffee is best made with medium to dark roast ground coffee. Light roasts can be a bit too acidic for this brewing method. Darker roasts also allow the unique characteristics of the Arabica beans—such as chocolatey or nutty notes—to emerge more fully during the brewing process.
Turkish coffee is often associated with a strong aroma and bold flavors. If that sounds like you, use beans with a strong flavor profile to make Turkish coffee. Think chocolatey, nutty, or even fruity undertones.
The best Turkish coffee is the one that suits your taste buds. So, feel free to experiment with different beans and roasts until you find your perfect match. If you like it, consider investing in a Turkish coffee maker to make Turkish coffee more quickly.
Don’t just settle for Turkish coffee, though. Get adventurous and join the Bones Coffee Club, where you will get a bundle of select coffee beans and discover luscious new flavors.
The Brewing Process: How to Make Turkish Coffee
The golden rule for Turkish coffee is one to two heaped teaspoons of coffee per three ounces of water. This much coffee is what gives Turkish coffee its distinctive strong and bold flavor, but this is just a guideline.
If you want to bounce off the ceiling, feel free to use more. On the other hand, too little will dilute the experience.
Although Turkish coffee is stronger than most others, it actually contains less caffeine than an espresso given the small serving size, so it won’t give you the jitters unless you want it to.
Turkish coffee is traditionally served in small cups, not your typical giant coffee mug. So, when we say a ‘cup’ of coffee, we’re talking about a small, espresso-sized cup.
Heating Turkish Coffee
This is the trickiest part of making Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee needs low to medium heat, taking no more than 4 minutes on the burner for a 4-person portion size. Brew time is extremely important to prevent over-extraction and bitter coffee.
Here’s the detailed guide:
- Mix your coffee and cold water in the cezve. For each cup of coffee, use one cup of water and one to two teaspoons of coffee. If you like your coffee sweet, add sugar now.
- Stir the mixture slightly but don’t overdo it. Too much stirring leads to less foam.
- Place the cezve on the stove over low heat.
- As the coffee heats, it will start to froth. Don’t let it boil! If you see bubbles starting to form, remove the cezve from the heat immediately.
- Pour a little of the frothy coffee into each cup. This will ensure that everyone gets their fair share of the delicious foam.
- Return the cezve to the heat. Let the coffee heat up again until a new layer of froth forms. Then, pour the rest of the coffee into the cups.
And voila! You’ve just learned to make Turkish coffee the right way.
Although most Turkish people know and love the traditional way to make Turkish coffee, most also own Turkish coffee makers. Having an automatic coffee machine is vastly more convenient, and many users say the taste is very similar to preparing Turkish coffee manually.
Should You Add Sugar to Turkish Coffee?
That’s really up to your personal taste. Turkish coffee can be enjoyed with and without sugar. However, it’s important to note that traditionally, sugar is added during the brewing process, not after.
This is because Turkish coffee is usually served in small cups, where stirring could disrupt the thick layer of foam, which is a signature of this brewing method.
As for how much sugar to add, this is where things get interesting. If you visit a Türkiye home and the host asks you how you take your coffee, there are four appropriate answers:
- Sade: No sugar
- Az şekerli: A little sugar (about one teaspoon per cup)
- Orta: Medium sugar (about two teaspoons per cup)
- Şekerli: Sweet (about three teaspoons per cup)
So, next time you’re brewing a pot of Turkish coffee, get the sugar right before putting the pot on the stove. It’s the same when using Turkish coffee makers—add the sugar, coffee, and water before brewing.
Summary: Coffee for the Bold
We’ve learned how to make Turkish coffee the traditional way. As you’ll quickly discover, this is a delightful wake-me-up drink that stuns the palate and soothes the psyche, especially when served with Turkish delight.
Whether you use an automatic coffee maker or prefer the manual process using the traditional coffee pot, drinking Turkish coffee is where everything comes together. Enjoy this strong coffee with friends and family.
You can serve Turkish coffee in the morning, afternoon, and after meals, but usually not at night. If you loved this Turkish coffee experience, catch more delicious coffee recipes in our other blogs.
