Do you want to have more chocolate in your coffee? Sure, we all do.
Do you take your chocolate with a little coffee in it? Then this article is for you.
Coffee and chocolate sits firmly as one of the best flavor combinations of all time. One of the most delicious ways of enjoying both at the same time is in a mocha.
But what is a mocha, where the hell does mocha originate from, why the hell is it called mocha and most importantly, how the hell do you make a delicious, decadent mocha at home?
Let's find out!
What is a Mocha?
Many people think of it as simply a chocolate flavor added to coffee—probably originating as either somebody's whim, the chance meeting of a coffee truck and a chocolate factory, or even a freak accident involving chocolate chips, an open cup of hot coffee, and a staircase.
But the history of the mocha is much deeper—and creamier—than that.
Its exact origins are unknown—how many times have we heard that in coffee history?—but the mocha is thought to date back to at least the early 1800s.
The name "mocha" almost definitely comes from the city of Mocha in Yemen, which was a major center for coffee trade at the time.
This is also where the name for the Moka Pot came from, which is a type of coffee maker that uses heat and intense pressure to produce espresso-like coffee. (Learn more about Moka Pots here.)
The first written mention of the mocha was in 1821, in a book called A Treatise on the Nature and Properties of Coffee by French author Jean Baptiste de Beaugrande. In it, he described a drink made with chocolate, coffee and milk.
By the early 1900s, the mocha had become a popular drink in Europe and the United States. Way back then, it was usually served as an after-dinner drink or as a dessert—as opposed to today where they’re often enjoyed in the morning and early afternoon.
The mocha became even more popular in the 1950s, when instant coffee started ruining everything.
Still, this made mochas easier to make at home and helped to spread their popularity even further.
How to Make a Mocha
There are many different ways to make a mocha—and every coffee place has their own favorite way to make one—but the most basic recipe is simply espresso and chocolate milk.
To make one of these basic mochas at home, you'll need:
- Espresso or strong coffee
- Chocolate milk (or milk & chocolate syrup)
- Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by brewing your espresso or coffee. If using espresso, you will need 2 shots.
- Heat the chocolate milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
- Add the espresso to the chocolate milk and stir well.
- Top that thing with whipped cream and enjoy!
How to Make an Iced Mocha at Home
To make an iced mocha, you can simply follow the recipe above but substitute cold milk for the heated chocolate milk, and serve the whole thing over ice.
(You can also add a scoop of ice cream if you want to be extra indulgent. Only if you enjoy satisfaction, though.)
Variations on the Mocha
There are endless ways to vary the basic mocha recipe. Some common variations include:
- Adding spices like cinnamon, nutmeg—even everyday salt does a darn fine job dressing up a mocha.
- Using different types of chocolate (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate)—or my personal favorite, half dark and half white chocolate, sometimes called a "black and white" or a "tuxedo" or a "zebra."
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Adding flavor syrups. Most popularly vanilla, hazelnut, caramel. But I've had some delicious orange mochas, mint mochas (also called a "holiday" mocha) and even raspberry mochas (AKA a "bloody" mocha).
You can combine multiple syrups and make a "Bloody Holiday Zebra," if you want to be like me my first year as a barista—And why wouldn't you?
The possibilities are not only delicious, they're endless—so get creative and moch-a mocha that's just right for you!
