On a hot July afternoon, the craving for coffee often presents a dilemma. You need the rich, restorative kick that only a good brew can provide, but the thought of a steaming hot cup can feel overwhelming in the sweltering heat. While standard iced coffee is a good solution, what if you could have something more—a drink with more texture, more aroma, and a deeper, more complex flavour?
Enter the world of Dibek coffee. This lesser-known but incredibly delicious cousin of traditional Turkish coffee offers a uniquely rich and creamy experience. When infused with the sweet, nutty notes of hazelnut and served over ice, it transforms into the ultimate summer indulgence. It’s the perfect antidote to the afternoon slump, blending centuries-old tradition with a modern, refreshing twist. Forget your usual iced latte; it’s time to discover a new favourite that is both incredibly easy to make and impressively gourmet.
What Exactly is "Dibek" Coffee? A Stone-Ground Treasure
Before we can craft the perfect iced version, it’s important to understand what makes Dibek coffee so special. While traditional Turkish coffee is known for its fine, powder-like grind, Dibek coffee gets its name from the process and the vessel used to create it: the dibek, a large stone mortar.
Instead of being finely ground by a machine, the coffee beans for Dibek coffee are traditionally pounded by hand in this stone mortar. Crucially, they are often pounded along with other aromatic ingredients. While recipes vary, a classic Dibek blend might include carob, mastic gum, cardamom, or other seeds and spices. This unique process results in a few key differences:
Thicker, Creamier Texture: The stone-ground method produces a slightly coarser grind than regular Turkish coffee, and the addition of other ingredients gives the final brew a fuller body and a wonderfully thick, almost creamy mouthfeel.
Milder, More Complex Flavour: The added ingredients soften the often-intense bitterness of the coffee, creating a milder, more balanced, and highly aromatic flavour profile. When hazelnut is added to the blend, as in Celebioglu Turkish Dibek Coffee with Hazelnut , the result is a brew that is naturally nutty, fragrant, and exceptionally smooth.
It’s this inherent creaminess and aromatic complexity that makes Hazelnut Dibek coffee a perfect candidate for an iced beverage.
The Secret to the Perfect Iced Dibek Coffee
The challenge with icing any Turkish-style coffee is managing the fine grounds and preserving the rich flavour without creating a watered-down drink. The secret is not to just pour the hot coffee over ice, but to use a rapid-chilling method that locks in the flavour before assembly. This recipe ensures a potent, flavourful coffee base that stands up beautifully to milk and ice.
Ingredients (for one serving):
- 2 heaping teaspoons of Hazelnut Dibek Coffee powder
- 1 cup (approx. 250ml) of cold, filtered water
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar (optional, as Dibek coffee is often milder)
- 1/2 cup of cold milk of your choice (full-fat dairy milk or a creamy oat milk works wonderfully)
- Plenty of ice cubes
Equipment:
- A cezve (Turkish coffee pot)
- A serving glass
The Step-by-Step Method:
Combine in the Cezve (1 minute): Add your Hazelnut Dibek Coffee powder and sugar (if using) to the cezve. Pour in the 1 cup of cold water and stir everything together gently with a spoon until the coffee is submerged and any clumps are gone.
The Slow Brew (3-4 minutes): Place the cezve on your stove over medium-low heat. Do not stir it again, as this will disturb the foam. Let the coffee heat up slowly. As it heats, a thick layer of foam (köpük) will begin to form on the surface. This foam is highly prized and key to the texture.
Catch the Foam (1 minute): Just before the coffee comes to a boil, the foam will start to rise rapidly. Watch it carefully! The moment it starts to rise, remove the cezve from the heat to prevent it from boiling over. You can use a teaspoon to skim off some of this foam and place it directly into your serving glass.
The Rapid Chill (10-15 minutes): Now for the most important step. Do not pour the hot coffee directly onto ice. Instead, pour the brewed coffee from the cezve into a separate, heatproof mug or small bowl. To rapidly chill it, you can either place this mug in an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and water) for about 5 minutes, or simply place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This cools the coffee down quickly without diluting its rich flavour.
Assemble Your Iced Coffee (1 minute): Fill your serving glass (the one with the foam, if you saved it) to the top with fresh ice cubes. Pour the now-chilled Hazelnut Dibek coffee over the ice. As you pour, try to leave the thick sludge of coffee grounds behind at the bottom of the chilling mug.
The Final Touch: Top your glass with the cold milk. Watch as it swirls beautifully into the dark coffee. Give it a gentle stir, and your ultimate Iced Hazelnut Dibek Coffee is ready to be enjoyed.
Pro-Tips for a Perfect Brew Every Time
- Don't Rush the Brew: The key to a good foam is a slow, low-heat brew. High heat will boil the coffee too quickly and destroy the foam.
- Use Cold, Filtered Water: Starting with cold water allows the flavours to develop more evenly as the coffee heats up.
- Embrace the Foam: That layer of foam is a sign of a well-made Turkish coffee. Spooning it into your glass first adds a traditional touch and enhances the creamy texture.
- Make Coffee Ice Cubes: For an even more intense, undiluted flavour, brew an extra batch of Dibek coffee, let it cool, and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Use these coffee cubes instead of regular ice.
Add a Garnish: For a café-worthy presentation, top your iced coffee with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed hazelnuts or a dusting of cocoa powder.
Conclusion: A New Summer Ritual
This Iced Hazelnut Dibek Coffee is more than just a refreshing drink; it’s an experience. It’s a bridge between a rich, historical coffee tradition and the modern craving for a cool, indulgent summer treat. The process itself is a simple, satisfying ritual, and the result is a beverage that is leagues beyond your standard iced latte in terms of texture and aromatic depth.
So, the next time the afternoon heat of the summer calls for a coffee break, don't just settle for the usual. Take a few extra minutes to craft this creamy, nutty, and incredibly satisfying iced coffee. It’s a small luxury that has the power to completely transform your afternoon, proving that sometimes, the most delicious discoveries come from giving a timeless tradition a cool, new twist.
Summary
Dibek coffee is a special type of Turkish coffee that is stone-ground with other aromatic ingredients, resulting in a thicker, creamier, and often milder brew than standard Turkish coffee.
This recipe transforms the traditionally hot Dibek coffee into a refreshing iced beverage, perfectly blending the rich, nutty notes of hazelnut with a cool, creamy finish ideal for beating the July heat.
Learn the easy, step-by-step process—from brewing in a cezve to rapid chilling—to craft a sophisticated, café-quality iced coffee that will impress your friends and family.
