The history of the humble caffe mocha is an interesting one. It's name derives from the port of Mocha, in the Yemen; which, for well over 300 years, was the principal port in the worldwide coffee trade. The beans produced there were famous for their quality, and deep, natural cocoa flavour, and so sought after by European markets that people started to add dark chocolate to lesser quality beans to try and recreate the flavours of the Mocha bean. Somewhere along the way, this quirk was corrupted into the coffee we know today; a milky, frothy, chocolatey take on the caffe latte.
For this recipe, however, we're moving away from the modern mocha, instead substituting the usual sweet, foamy, whipped milk and for a rich, luxurious heavy cream. This isn't just self-indulgence - it lets the coffee shine through, rather than being overpowered by a sugary sweetness.
The Coffee
Whatever coffee you use, make sure it's a strong one. You're not looking for delicate, floral aromas and a bright acidity here - you're looking for a smooth, deep cup of coffee, full of toasted nuts, cereals, smokiness, and - of course - chocolate. Because of this, I'd recommend either our Indian or Dark Roast capsules, or our Espresso Blend bean & ground.
Ingredients
Makes 4 Mochas
- 4 shots of espresso
- 200ml double cream (room temperature)
- 60g grated dark chocolate (at least 70%)
Method
- Pop a quarter of the grated chocolate into a warmed coffee cup, and pour over one shot of the coffee (adding a splash of hot water if you want a slightly longer coffee.
- Once the coffee is settled, add the cream (pouring it over the back of a spoon to keep it separate if you feel extra fancy). Garnish with some more chocolate and serve.
- When ready to drink, simply give the coffee a stir, combining the coffee, chocolate and cream into a glorious caffe mocha.
