The only place I’d want to have my first Caffé leccese outside of Lecce (Puglia) is Bread and Salt Bakery in Jersey City. I’ve gone back multiple times for their version, made with homemade almond crema whirled perfectly into a shot of espresso over ice chips.
I lived in Lecce for nearly three months in college and never discovered it there! So, when I found it in Jersey, I was over-the-moon excited. And it has become one of my favorite espresso beverages, so much so that I served it as a specialità during my first Ciao Caffé pop-up. It was definitely a hit, and I loved the curiosity it evoked. I think it deserves some more attention.
While Caffè Leccese is a slight investment to curate at home, I do recommend it! When learning to make it, I initially thought the almond paste got stirred directly into the hot espresso (which is yummy, too). Instead, you’re supposed to blend the paste with water to create “almond milk,” of which 2 oz. are poured over ice and then combined with 2 oz. of espresso before being stirred. I recommend making the almond milk slightly more viscous, closer to half-and-half consistency.
As for the almond paste, I’ve tried both Caffe Sicilia and Mandorla d'Avola from Guistamo.com. Each product is made with Sicilian almonds, sugar, and water. They’re both great.
I typically make caffé leccese with espresso, but recently used my Bialetti Moka, which makes a strong coffee. And it’s one of the oldest ways to brew. If you do use your own, it’s recommended to use medium-ground coffee for better water permeability. I’m still figuring out how these things work, and I used a finer-ground this time…Oops, but it was still pretty good!
