What Is A Mocha? See Our Perfect Recipe And Much More

Sometimes we mention a mocha drink, and often get the same question – “What is a mocha?”.

So we thought today we will clear the air a little bit, and explain what a mocha is exactly, and show you a delicious mocha recipe!

Who doesn’t love mocha?

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t.

No really, it is!

It’s delicious coffee with that touch of chocolate and cream on top with exceptional taste that accompanies the days of so many people like us.

If you love the sweet drink as much as we do, then you are in the right place!

But you are most likely here because you want to learn more about what mocha actually is, and why it’s such a popular coffee drink amongst so many.

So below we will break down what a mocha is, the origins of the word “mocha”, a little history lesson about the drink, and the top it off with a simple mocha recipe!

What Is A Mocha?

So what on Earth is a mocha drink, actually?

Mocha coffee is a coffee beverage made of espresso coffee, steamed milk, chocolate and whipped cream.

In a nutshell, a mocha is a version of a cafe latte, which most of you are familiar with.

It’s a latte with added chocolate syrup and some whipped cream.

You can rather used foamed milk instead of whipped cream, but the choice is yours!

It’s an easy to prepare coffee beverage which represents a middle way between a cappuccino and a much more greedy and caloric hot chocolate.

Mocha coffee should be taken as coffee and chocolate.

In other words, it can be said that chocolate is considered one of the main ingredients in the preparation of mocha. As it plays a big part in the flavor.

So if you are a chocolate lover AND a coffee lover, well then you are in heaven with a mocha.

The History Of Mocha

This drink originated as an American take on one of Italy’s coffee shop classics, the Bicerin Torinese.

The main characteristic that distinguishes the Bicerin from the mocha is that the espresso, milk, and chocolate are carefully layered on top of one another.

This fantastic variant of coffee drink is named after the city of Mocha, located in Yemen on the Red Sea coast.

In the 15th century, the port city achieved great fame as an exporter of coffee.

The specialty of the city were mocha beans, known for their strong concentration of chocolate notes.

It is thought, therefore, that mocha coffee also comes from this tradition.

There is a lot of debate about the exact origins of the word, and why we call a mocha exactly that today.

But one thing we can all agree on, is that a mocha requires espresso, steamed milk and chocolate!

See these related posts:

• 20 Amazing Iced Coffee Recipes Perfect For Any Warm Day
• Interesting Facts About Coffee You Definitely Never Even Knew

Mocha & Marocchino Coffee: Similar But Not The Same

It’s quite easy to confuse a mocha with a marocchino.

So let’s quickly explain the difference!

As we already now know, a mocha is made using a chocolate syrup.

Whereas a marocchino is made using bitter cocoa powder.

A revival of the Turin Bicerin, marocchino coffee is served in transparent glass, and combines flavors and textures that blend sublimely and delight the palate.

The bitterness of the cocoa accompanies the coffee and acts as a counterpoint to the sweetness of the milk cream.

As both drinks contain chocolate, coffee and milk, it’s extremely easy to confuse the two.

The chocolate in the mocha, for example, is real chocolate sauce, and not the bitter cocoa powder that is used in the Morocchino.

In conclusion we can say that they are very similar but not the same.

How To Prepare The Perfect Mocha

Let’s start from the basics.

Below are the ingredients & supplies needed to make a mocha:

• Espresso coffee.
• Fresh milk (125 – 150 ml).
• Chocolate powder or milk syrup. If there’s a particular chocolate syrup you like, then use it!
• Whipped cream.
• 10-12oz Latte cup.
• Milk steamer or frother.

Step One: Prepare!

Make sure you have all of your ingredients and utensils ready to go.

You can also now pour your chocolate syrup onto the sides of your glass.

Step Two: Espresso Time

Make your espresso.

Extract two shots into your latte glass and stir in order to blend the chocolate and coffee flavors.

Step Three: Steam Your Milk

Steam your milk as you normally would if you are making a hot beverage at home.

Step Four: Pour Your Drink

Add the milk into your espresso and chocolate. Almost drinking time!

Step Five: Add Everything Else

Here you can begin to decorate your drink with whipped cream, more chocolate syrup and whatever sweetness you want.

Things such as cinnamon, sprinkles or chocolate powder also go well with the drink.

Enjoy it!

Mocha Coffee Variants: Customize Your Mocha

There are many variations of mocha.

All variations have one thing in common: their basic ingredients are the same.

Chocolate, milk and espresso is the basis for each variation. But within this, you can get quite creative and customize your very own mocha coffee!

Below are the two variants of mocha that we prefer.

1. Ice Mocha

The iced mocha is an alternative way not to give up coffee on hot days, with prep time taking pretty much the same as with the usual mocha.

The preparation is very similar to that of regular mocha, but of course we need the cold ingredients.

How to prepare:

In a glass or cup pour the chocolate sauce.

Prepare your espresso and let it cool, then add the cold coffee and stir with the chocolate sauce.

At this point add ice in your glass.

Next you can add the cold milk and mix all together.

To finish top up with whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate powder.

2. White Chocolate Mocha

For white chocolate lovers, it’s impossible not to love this coffee.

White chocolate mocha is a perfect companion in winter, as the body warms up quickly with this delicious drink.

How to prepare:

The preparation is identical to the preparation of the classic mocha, the only difference is the type of chocolate.

For a white chocolate mocha we will use white chocolate sauce, instead of dark chocolate.

Make sure to use a good quality white chocolate sauce!

Who Is A Mocha For?

The mocha is perfect for people who get put off by the strong taste or bitterness of a normal cup of coffee.

As with many other types of drinks, it can be hard for someone who has never drank coffee before to just jump into an espresso.

You always need a gateway drink.

And a mocha can be that drink.

But at the same time, even regular coffee addicts can also every now and then opt for something as sweet and delicious as a mocha.

As we mentioned above, you can really make a mocha your own by customizing and tweaking.

This drink will only get more popular with time, and we do believe that many baristas out there are getting really creative with their own recipes!

Coffee & Chocolate Together Increase Concentration & Productivity

Did you know that chocolate and coffee together increase concentration and productivity?

A study carried out by researcher Ali Boolani of Clarkson University pretty much confirmed this.

During a period of observation of almost a year, some volunteers had taken chocolate, chocolate with coffee, caffeine without cocoa and a placebo without caffeine or cocoa and answered some questions that were intended to assess their mood and their ability to concentrate.

They found that when coffee and chocolate were combined, the participants’ concentration levels were increased.

We know you really do NOT need another reason to combine the two, but it is just quite interesting.

Caffeine and cocoa drinks would therefore, according to the professor, be perfect for anyone who needs to focus on their tasks.

Final Thoughts

Knowing exactly what a mocha is just adds another coffee drink to any coffee lover’s list!

It’s the perfect drink for anyone with a sweet tooth, so make sure you try out a few versions with y our friends and family.