How To: Finally—Impress Your Friends with Espresso in a Cone

In the past, creative chefs and bakers have been rewarded for their daring in the kitchen with viral attention from the internet—like the rainbow bagel or cronut. These sensations weren't crafted for the sake of going viral, but ended up generating an insane amount of buzz anyway.

It was only a matter of time, then, until someone decided to do it the other way around: to craft a food made specifically for going viral on social networks.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet espresso in a cone.

Who came up with this mad idea? According to Refinery29, coffee cones are an idea that originated in Johannesburg, South Africa at a coffee shop called The Grind Company. Dayne Levinrad, marketing executive and barista at the shop, actually patented the idea knowing that the arresting visual of a latte in a cone would generate a ton of attention. However, that doesn't seem to be stopping shops like Alfred Coffee in LA from spreading the trend with a coffee cone of their own.

And it's not going to stop us, either—because this lovely treat is definitely doable at home.

What You Need

• Waffle cones
• Candy coating chocolate
• Topping (sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted coconut)
• 1 shot of espresso
• 3 oz. steamed milk

If you don't have an espresso machine at home, don't despair! You can still make this using instant espresso powder. (It's not blasphemy... it's ingenious.)

PSA: Please, Line Your Entire Cone with Chocolate

Before we jump into the specifics, I'm going to be straight with you: if you don't completely line your cones in chocolate, they won't be able to hold the liquid inside. Instead, the waffle cone will get soggy and disintegrate right in the palm of your hand. Unless you like coffee all over your shoes and kitchen floor, I guess... then, by all means, be my (messy) guest.

What makes me so sure that coffee will destroy a cone without chocolate, you ask? Well, I made the mistake of only coating the top of the cone and endured the mess that came shortly after pouring my milk. The poor ice cream cone I made transformed from a beautiful coffee masterpiece to a soft waffle glob on the concrete in a matter of minutes. I was essentially at fault for coffee roadkill. Had I coated the entire inside with chocolate, I would have bought myself some time before the dreaded collapse of the cone happened.

Learn from my sad story, and coat your cones, dammit.

And now that I've said my piece...

Step 1: Coat Cones in Chocolate

(First of all, make sure that you're using candy coating chocolate, which won't melt immediately after coming into contact with hot liquid. You can buy it on Amazon.)

To coat the cones, begin by melting the candy coating chocolate according to package directions. Melt the chocolate into a bowl or measuring cup wide enough to fit a waffle cone.

Dip the rim of the cone into the melted chocolate, then use a small spatula or butter knife to spread an even layer of chocolate along the inside of the cone down to the tip.

Next, shake sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or any topping of your choosing over the outside of the cone to decorate.

Then, let the the cone dry upside down.

Step 2: Make Espresso & Steam Milk

The next step in our espresso-in-a-cone journey is—well, the espresso, of course.

I've noticed that the word 'espresso' tends to intimidate people. Apparently, espresso is a mysterious, pretentious potion brewed by barista wizards that is too strong for the palates of mere mortals.

However, espresso is not black magic, it's just an intense, concentrated form of coffee. You don't even need an enchanting espresso machine or a magical barista to make it. The Kitchn has a great tutorial on how to make espresso drinks without a commercial machine. They recommend using a Nespresso, Aeropress, or just strongly brewed coffee. And, as I've mentioned before, espresso powder makes a great substitute if you'd like to obtain espresso with minimal effort—just mix it with hot water.

Okay, so once you've got your espresso, you mustn't forget the sweet, frothy, steamed milk to go with it. It's safe to assume that most home kitchens don't come with a built-in steam wand to heat and aerate milk for you (first world problems, am I right?). Lucky for you, there are easy ways to froth milk for a latte with tools you already have: A whisk, a jar, a French press, or even a tea ball infuser.

Step 3: Pour Your Drink!

Start by pouring your shot of espresso into the bottom of the cone. Then, pour steamed and frothed milk over the espresso to the top of the cone.

The heart-shaped latte art I did in my cone can be a bit tricky—and you may prefer to enjoy your espresso without the fuss. But if want to give it a try, the video below is pretty helpful (tutorial starts at 2:27):

Cheers to Your New Favorite Dessert

Tap your cones together and sip your latte from the amazing edible cup, the espresso in a cone.

Caution: you're excited to get to the cone—who wouldn't be?—but biting into it too early will result in you wearing your coffee. And much as we all love the smell of coffee, believe me, you don't want to wear old latte as a fragrance. So sip your drink first, then enjoy your latte-drenched chocolate cone to your heart's content.

Give this Insta-worthy drink a try and let us know how it goes in the comments below. (And don't forget to tag us on Instagram @foodhacksdaily if you get a good picture!)

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