If you like a sweet drink, then this Mocha is perfect for you. Whether you’ve tried it or not, we’re sure you’ve seen Mocha on coffee shop menus. Because this drink is well known in the coffee community.
If you don’t know what Mocha really is, we have everything you need to know about this drink.
Contents
What Is A Mocha?
So what exactly is this drink? Mocha is short for “mocha latte” or “caffe mocha,” known in Europe as Moccacino. The name Mocha refers to a name for a coffee variety from the Mocha region, Yemen.
As it is named, the Mocha latte is a chocolate flavor variant of the cafe latte. This drink is just a latte with the addition of chocolate syrup or even just like a hot chocolate with espresso in it.
So the composition consists of espresso, milk, chocolate and froth like in latte drinks. The milk and chocolate content in Mocha makes it unlike other coffee drinks, it has a sweeter taste
What Is The Difference Between Mocha Latte vs Caffe Latte
Mocha and Latte are both espresso based drinks. Their appearance is similar but not the same.
Mocha is a chocolate-flavored espresso drink that comes from chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings. This drink gives you a stronger coffee experience with dark chocolate color and a sweeter taste.
On the other hand, Latte accentuates the taste of espresso even more, as it is made with only foamed steamed milk and espresso. Latte is perfect for those who want a coffee with less strength and a less sweet taste.
For more details, here we have summarized the differences in brief.
Mocha
- Made with espresso, steamed milk, and the addition of chocolate syrup
- Usually given a sprinkling of whipped cream or chocolate shavings as a topping
- The taste is sweeter and chocolatey
Latte
- Made with espresso and steamed milk
- Topped with a soft, creamy froth
- More espresso flavor and less sweet
Well, now you know the difference between latte and mocha. So which one should you choose? If you are confused, maybe you can try to enjoy both.
Milk for latte and mocha coffees
As we discussed above, both coffee lattes and mochas require steamed milk and / or foam. To make steamed and foamed milk, you can use a steam wand on an espresso machine or use a milk foam maker (as an alternative).
The foam and steamed milk have one major difference which is the number of air bubbles they contain.
The volume of milk in the froth will be doubled due to the air bubbles added to it. Meanwhile, the increase in the volume of steamed milk was less, which was about a third.
To make steamed milk, stick the steam wand at an angle of about one inch into your cold milk. This positioning is intended so that the steam that comes out creates a whirlpool effect. The steaming process continues until the milk reaches a temperature between 1450F and 1550F.
Making froth milk is actually similar to steamed milk. The difference is, when the milk starts to foam on the surface, press the steam wand gradually until it reaches the bottom of the cup. This process will form foam and make the volume of milk expand.
A Brief History Of A Mocha
In the early days of coffee globalization, Yemen had a monopoly on world coffee bean production. They export Moka beans which consist of various Arabica coffee beans that are harvested in the neighboring mountainous region of central Yemen.
The name “moka” refers to Al Moka – a Yemeni port city that was once a trading center in the 17th century. The port was a storage area as well as a gateway for exports throughout the world at that time.
Mocha’s relationship with the drinks we know today is a little ambiguous because the port of Al Moka is no longer the economic and cultural center it used to be.
On the other hand, the mocha drink we know today seems to have been inspired by Bicerin, a coffee drink from Turin, Italy. This thick Italian hot chocolate drink predates American mocha for at least 200 years.
The term “bicerin” itself in its original dialect means “little cup”. The composition of the drink is: steamed milk, hot chocolate and espresso.
Different from light American hot chocolate, bicerin is famous for being reduced with cornstarch, making it thick and creamy. The combination of hot chocolate, coffee and milk basically served as what we know as mocha today.
The mocha which is gaining popularity today has its roots in the American drink, becoming a variant of the classic “caffe latte.” The term “mocha” is known as short for “cafe mocha”, just as the name “latte” was popularized as short for “cafe latte”.
How To Make A Mocha
Making a mocha is relatively easy especially if you’ve made a latte before, as the steps are very similar. Since this drink is espresso-based it is better if you have an espresso machine at home.
If you have an espresso machine, of course, you also have a milk jug, espresso glass, and all the supporting equipment.
Step One: Gathering The Ingredients
Before you begin, the first thing to do is to gather your supplies and materials. Here’s what you need:
- 1 Latte cup (10-12 ounce)
- 16.5 grams Espresso ground (regular or decaffeinated)
- 2 tablespoons of hot water
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup milk (any type)
- 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup
Step Two: Make The Chocolate Flavoring
Mix hot water, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt right in your cup. This will result a classic chocolate taste similar to what you would find at your favorite cafe. And this much more satisfying than just pouring the chocolate syrup into your coffee.
Step Three: Extract The Espresso
Brew as many espressos as you want. If you don’t want too much caffeine, you could consider combining it with decaf roasts or using less grounds in your drink.
Step Four: Steam The Milk
If your espresso machine is equipped with a steamer like a latte machine, that will of course be easy.
But if you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a steamer to steam your 1/2 cup of milk. This process should only take about 15 seconds, or when the temperature reaches about 160 ° F (70 ° C) it should end.
Step Five: Pour The Steamed Milk
After you’ve steamed the milk, you can add it to your chocolate flavor mix. You can hold the froth of the steamed milk by holding a large spoon at the edge of the surface. Then lift up the froth out so that it sticks evenly on top, It will give you a smooth, silky texture.
Step Five: Add The Espresso
After you add the espresso, behold, your Mocha is ready.
Step Six: Garnish Your Drink!
Good taste alone is not enough to make your drink perfect, it has to look good. You can decorate your mocha in many ways.
It’s usually garnished with whipped cream and chocolate topping, but you can also top with caramel sugar, cinnamon powder, or turbinado. Now you can drink mocha with the perfect taste and appearance.
Mocha Drink Modifications
Mocha in particular is also as highly customizable as the modified latte. This adjustment depends on what ingredients you have (if you make your own) or the cafe where you ordered the mocha.
We will tell you some of the most common types of mocha modifications that you may not have known about before.
White or Dark?
If you order mocha from a coffee shop, you will likely find “white mochas” and “black mochas” on the menu. All you need to know is that white/black mocha refers to two other types of chocolate syrup: white chocolate syrup and dark chocolate syrup.
It all depends on your personal preference! White chocolate mochas have a sweeter taste, while dark chocolate mochas are slightly bitter.
Cocoa Powder
Using cocoa powder is a simple and precise way to measure and control how much chocolate you add to your coffee. The most common way is to sow it as a garnish.
Coffee
If you don’t have an espresso or machine, you can substitute drip coffee as an alternative. It is highly recommended to use medium, dark, or French roast, in place of espresso.
Chocolate Milk
A slightly radical modification when making mocha is the use of chocolate milk. This ingredient is used as a shortcut to replace cocoa syrup/powder. We rate this as a desperate version of mocha, as it consists only of espresso and chocolate milk.
Iced Mocha
This is the best part of mocha? You can also still drink it with ice. If it’s a little hot outside, and you want to drink mocha, dipping a little ice in your mocha is great.
Wrapping Up
At this point, you should feel relieved! You can make mocha in the comfort of your own home. This drink is a great choice for those who need espresso caffeine but also enjoy a sweet drink. So if you want to enjoy a cup of coffee with a sweet taste and a soft froth sensation when you sip, then you should try mocha when you need coffee.