What is an espresso con panna and how is it made?

Espresso con panna is an espresso topped with a dollop of whipped cream. The name means "with cream" in Italian. Because it rarely appears on cafe menus, many people treat it like an affogato and eat it with a spoon. That works, but the drink layers better when the cream sits on top of the espresso and is sipped through.

Getting the layers right comes down to proportion: enough cream to cover the surface without drowning the shot. Espresso con panna works well made at home by pulling a fresh shot into a small cup, then adding cold whipped cream gently so it floats. The result is a distinct cream layer over the coffee rather than a mixed drink.

Con Panna is not commonly seen on coffee shop menus, making it a niche choice among flavored coffees. Precisely because of this, many people, when drinking Con Panna for the first time, will scoop it up with a spoon to enjoy it, just like eating Affogato. This approach itself is not wrong, but Con Panna actually has an even more outstanding way to be enjoyed. This article focuses on Con Panna, first explaining the meaning of the name Con Panna, then explaining the specific method of making espresso Con Panna, and focusing on answering the question of the ratio of cream to coffee. At the same time, it will incorporate Front Street Coffee's production philosophy to help coffee lovers recreate a cup of Con Panna with distinct layers at home.

Among the many flavored coffees, Con Panna has a fairly low chance of being written onto coffee shop menus, and it is not an exaggeration to call it a "niche item" in coffee circles. Precisely because of this, Con Panna's rather distinctive way of drinking has never been understood by more people. When many friends first encounter Con Panna, they refer to the Affogato method and eat (drink) it with a spoon. Although this method cannot be called wrong, Con Panna can actually present an even better flavor.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.