Coffee Drink
Caffè Leccese Recipe: Iced Espresso with Almond Syrup
Caffè leccese is a small iced coffee from Lecce and Salento, combining espresso with sweet almond syrup. Stir it from the bottom for a cold sip with roasted coffee and a marzipan-like almond aroma.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- 75 mg referenceDefined 36 g espresso portionThis home extraction has not been measured.
- Calories
- 80 kcal estimatedDefined recipe with undiluted named syrupNo added dairy milk, sugar or topping.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 36 g prepared espresso + 20 ml (4 US tsp) Fabbri Italian almond syrup + 60 g (2.1 oz) ice
- Made with
- Espresso + concentrated almond syrup + ice
- Sugar
- 16.8 g total estimated. From the named 20 ml (4 US tsp) syrup portion.
- Preparation
- About 3 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Fabbri Italian 560 ml syrup label and USDA SR28 espresso record, checked 26 September 2026. Use the concentrate column, not the diluted-drink column. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- Use the specified sweet almond concentrate; an ordinary almond-milk carton changes sweetness and body.
- Stir through the bottom of the glass so the almond sweetness reaches the coffee instead of waiting in the last sip.
- Serve promptly after stirring so melting ice does not dilute the coffee more than you want.
On This Page10 Sections
What Does Caffè Leccese Taste Like?
Caffè leccese pairs roasted espresso with a sweet almond aroma that can recall marzipan. The concentrated syrup adds a little weight, then melting ice loosens the texture and makes the drink easier to sip. Coffee remains the darker, bitter side of the combination, with almond sweetness lingering afterward.
I like enough almond syrup to scent the espresso while leaving a bitter coffee finish, because that contrast keeps the small glass refreshing.
Caffe Leccese Recipe
Use a 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) heatproof glass.
Recipe
Caffè Leccese
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 3 minutes; espresso equipment ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee, ground for espresso
- 20 ml (4 US tsp) Fabbri Sciroppo Latte di Mandorla, undiluted
- 60 g (2.1 oz) ice cubes
Equipment
- Espresso machine with an 18 g basket and portafilter
- Grinder and tamper
- Scale
- Graduated milliliter measure
- Small heatproof espresso pouring cup
- Spoon
- 150 ml (5.1 US fl oz) heatproof glass
Method
- Prepare the glass. Shake the syrup bottle if its label directs. Measure the undiluted almond syrup into the glass, then add the ice.
- Brew. Brew 18 g ground coffee to collect 36 g espresso in the separate cup.
- Pour and stir. Pour the fresh espresso over the ice. Stir from the bottom to mix in the syrup and serve immediately.
Estimated nutrition: 80 kcal · 16.8 g total sugar. Per glass, with 20 ml (4 US tsp) undiluted Fabbri Sciroppo Latte di Mandorla.
Recipe notes
Contains almonds. Use the concentrated syrup undiluted.
The syrup is already sweetened. No dairy milk or extra sugar is required.
For a decaf version, ask for caffè leccese decaffeinato. Use decaf espresso and keep the same almond-syrup and ice portions.
Equipment and Preparation
Brew into a separate heatproof cup so you can weigh the coffee before it reaches the ice. The espresso brewing guide explains the setup: 18 g is dry grounds input; 36 g is collected espresso output, not 36 ml (1.2 US fl oz).
The 20 ml (4 US tsp) syrup portion and assembly order follow Fabbri's caffè leccese recipe. We define the espresso and ice by weight to make this home version repeatable.
Choose solid cubes that fit comfortably in the glass and measure their combined mass. Pouring coffee over ice begins the chilling and dilution; stirring brings the syrup up from the base of the glass.
Which Latte Di Mandorla Should You Use?
For this recipe, use a sweet almond concentrate intended for dilution or coffee preparation. The words latte di mandorla alone do not tell you whether the bottle contains that concentrate or a beverage already ready to drink.
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| Ingredient | How it fits this recipe | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Named Fabbri almond syrup | Use the measured 20 ml (4 US tsp) undiluted | Italian 560 ml product; contains almonds |
| Another sweet almond concentrate | A possible alternative with its own dose | Ingredients, dilution instructions, sugar and almond content |
| Ready-to-drink almond beverage | Produces a different, more milk-like preparation | It is not a 1:1 replacement for concentrated syrup |
| Orgeat or almond-flavored syrup | May have a different flavoring and sugar formulation | Check almond content and dilution instructions on the label |
The Fabbri label gives separate nutrition columns for syrup and a beverage made by adding six parts water. Our recipe uses the syrup column. Diluting it first would add water and change both the sugar concentration and the almond contribution of a 20 ml (4 US tsp) portion.
Check the bottle rather than choosing only by the English phrase “almond milk.” If you want espresso with a substantial unsweetened almond beverage portion, use the proportions of an iced latte and treat it as a different drink.
Adjusting Caffè Leccese Sweetness
For less sweetness, reduce the syrup to 15 ml (1 US tbsp) or 10 ml (2 US tsp). Keep the 36 g espresso and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice the same while deciding which amount suits you. The change also reduces the almond ingredient; it does not selectively remove sugar while preserving identical flavor.
The following is our calculation from the named label, with the espresso portion held fixed:
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| Undiluted syrup | Estimated calories | Estimated total sugar |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ml (2 US tsp) | 40 kcal | 8.4 g |
| 15 ml (1 US tbsp) | 60 kcal | 12.6 g |
| 20 ml (4 US tsp), defined recipe | 80 kcal | 16.8 g |
Reducing the syrup from 20 ml (4 US tsp) to 10 ml (2 US tsp) removes 37.2 kcal and 8.4 g sugar from this recipe. The same coffee remains in the glass, so its reference caffeine is unchanged.
Fix a Sweet Bottom Layer or a Watery Finish
- Sweetness is concentrated at the bottom: stir all the way to the base before taking the first sip.
- The drink becomes watery: serve promptly and avoid adding unmeasured water. Melting ice changes concentration; it does not remove the sugar or caffeine already added.
- The almond flavor is too faint: first check whether you bought a ready-to-drink beverage. Increasing that liquid is not the same adjustment as increasing a concentrate.
- The syrup is too sweet at a useful almond intensity: consider another almond concentrate with a different formulation. Recalculate its serving rather than assuming the same nutrition.
Caffe Leccese, Iced Espresso and Shakerato
The defining addition here is sweet almond syrup. Plain iced espresso does not need it. A caffè shakerato uses shaking to chill and aerate the coffee, usually before straining; it does not automatically contain almond syrup.
Our Leccese recipe is stirred and served over its ice. There is no need to foam milk or shake the drink to make that version. If a café offers a soffiato or a shaken variation, ask how it is prepared rather than expecting the same texture as this simple glass.
Can You Use a Moka Pot?
Yes, as a separate home variation. Follow the moka-pot brewing guide, then measure the prepared coffee before adding it to the syrup and ice. Lavazza gives a 50 ml (1.7 US fl oz) moka-coffee example, and Italia.it includes both espresso and moka coffee. Its concentration and caffeine differ from our espresso reference; the espresso formula of 18 g to 36 g is not a moka instruction.
Why It Is Associated with Lecce and Salento
Coffee with ice and almond milk is one of the specialties highlighted by Italy’s tourism guide to Lecce. Caffè alla salentina is another name for the drink; caffè in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla spells out the order as coffee over ice with almond milk.
One local legend, retold by Lavazza, credits roaster Antonio Quarta with breaking ice into hot coffee to make it welcome in the summer heat. It gives a vivid setting for Salento’s iced-coffee ritual, with the sweet almond version becoming a particularly recognizable way to enjoy it.
Caffe Leccese Calories, Sugar and Caffeine
The serving with 36 g espresso, 20 ml (4 US tsp) almond syrup and 60 g (2.1 oz) ice has an estimated 80 kcal, 16.8 g total sugar and 75 mg reference caffeine. The named syrup contains almonds. No dairy ingredient is added in this recipe, but check your actual bottle and preparation environment when an allergy or dietary requirement matters.
Serving calculation and source assumptions
Fabbri's Italian 560 ml syrup label gives 372 kcal and 84 g total sugar per 100 ml of concentrate. A 20 ml portion therefore contributes 74.4 kcal and 16.8 g sugar. USDA prepared espresso, NDB 14210, gives 9 kcal and 212 mg caffeine per 100 g: 36 g contributes 3.24 kcal and 76.32 mg caffeine. Ordinary water ice contributes neither calories nor sugar.
The unrounded recipe total is 77.64 kcal and 16.8 g sugar, rounded to 80 kcal. At 15 ml syrup it is 59.04 kcal and 12.6 g sugar; at 10 ml it is 40.44 kcal and 8.4 g. Caffeine is rounded to 75 mg as a generic composition reference, not a measurement of this 18 g extraction.
The product's diluted-beverage nutrition column does not describe the concentrate used here. Check the physical label if it differs from the online Italian product record.