It’s a common misconception that the café Freddo hails from Italy. Despite the Italian-sounding name, it’s actually a type of Greek shaken espresso drink. Freddo sprouted up in the early ’90s, allegedly created as an answer to the lack of options in the market for espresso-based drinks — specifically ones that could beat the heat. But if you want an effortless version that doesn’t require a fancy appliance, you might be wondering whether you can swap real machine-extracted espresso for the instant stuff. Chowhound spoke exclusively with Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, ex-barista and founder of Home Coffee Expert and Decoding Wine, to find out if such a thing is even possible.
Woodburn-Simmonds notes that, “The shaking makes the Cafe Freddo distinct not only from hot espresso based drinks but also from many other iced coffees that are just poured over ice.” However, he clarifies that, “If you’re using instant coffee, then you’re making something much closer to the original Frappe from Greece.” In fact, before the boom of Italian espresso machines, many Greek coffee drinkers used instant coffee for their caffeine fix. So, you’re not straying too far from a beloved, traditional way of making Greek iced coffee. In fact, you’ll end up with a milder café Freddo — as that tends to be the case with instant coffee — but you can also try out a simple swap to make your instant coffee taste café-made and level up your home-brewing game.
Tips for making Greek instant iced coffee
The method to whip up Greek iced coffee with instant espresso isn’t that far off from making one with fresh espresso, which Matt Woodburn-Simmonds outlined for us in detail: “Making a café Freddo at home should involve brewing espresso and then pouring it into a cocktail shaker with ice, shaking until your hand feels very cold, then straining it into a glass over ice.” Just swap the brewed espresso with an instant version, and you’re all set; it’s that easy.
Woodburn-Simmonds also shared a simple yet game-changing temperature tip, saying, “You want lots of large ice cubes in your shaker to chill the espresso quickly and to minimize the surface area of the ice cubes that come into contact with the coffee.” Using large ice cubes is key here if you want to avoid dilution, as they take longer to melt than smaller ones. This results in a bolder finish, allowing the flavors to really shine the way you want them to. While you’re at it, opting for the best instant coffees for a smooth and refreshing iced coffee should also be a priority. Or better yet, you can try out the instant coffee brand that tastes like a real brew for even more of a guaranteed home run.