Irish Cream Coffee Ice Cream Floats

Serves 4 · 10 min prep

Ingredients

• 1 pint coffee ice cream
• 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
• 1.5 cups cold brew coffee
• 1 cup club soda or sparkling water
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 12 chocolate-covered espresso beans
• 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. 1Chill four tall float or pint glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes so the ice cream does not melt on contact. Scoop generous balls of coffee ice cream and keep them on a chilled plate ready to drop in.
2. 2Pour the Irish cream liqueur into the bottom of each chilled glass, swirling gently to coat the lower third.
3. 3Add a splash of cold brew coffee to each glass and stir once so the liqueur and coffee mingle into a creamy base.
4. 4Drop two or three scoops of coffee ice cream into each glass; they should bob and begin to melt slowly into the liquid.
5. 5Slowly top each float with cold brew coffee until the glass is three-quarters full, letting the ice cream foam slightly at the surface.
6. 6Finish with a short pour of club soda or sparkling water for lively bubbles that lift the coffee aroma.
7. 7Crown each float with a tall swirl of whipped cream. Dust the cream lightly with cocoa powder through a fine mesh sieve.
8. 8Garnish with three chocolate-covered espresso beans pressed into the whipped cream for crunch and extra coffee punch.
9. 9Serve at once with wide straws and long spoons so drinkers can mix the melting coffee ice cream into the Irish cream base as they go. The floats are best enjoyed immediately while the fizz and temperature contrast are strongest.