It has been a week, hasn’t it? The combination of busyness, hard things and pre-holiday overwhelm. All while an atmospheric river dumped on us. Thus my capacity for complex cooking was at absolute zero this week. But, what I lacked in capacity for meals, I made up for in volume for fancy coffee. Because we are on a mocha kick. So while this was the week of the Sheet Pan Dinner, it was also the Week of the Epic Mocha.
This afternoon, Ellie, Marilla, and I found a quiet moment to make ourselves a treat–a perfectly decedent mocha. I promise there are times in which my three children are in the same room at the same time. But lately it seems there is a lot of coming and going and Margot is practically living at the dance studio…
None the less….Here is what You Need: Unsweetened cocoa powder, Sugar, Whipped cream, Milk (Pro Tip: 1% milk is the easiest to froth), Espresso, a vintage espresso maker.
Actually any espresso making apparatus will do but I am very partial to my vintage (circa 1994 espresso maker). I will tell you the story behind it another day. If you don’t have an espresso maker, a great way to get started with homemade espresso is a Bialetti, they are super affordable, reliable and adorable. I had one for years and years and loved it. But when we upgraded to an induction stove top it was no longer compatible.
For the coffee itself I am a big fan of Café Bustelo. It is bold, delicious, and delightfully affordable. I also really like the vibe of the bright yellow cans. And because I can’t help myself, here is a little history break for you: While we associate it with Cuban coffee culture, it was actually founded in the Bronx, New York, in 1928 by a Spaniard named Gregorio Bustelo. He traveled to Cuba, fell in love with the roasting style, and brought it back to East Harlem. It became a staple not just for the Cuban exiles, but for the Nuyorican community in New York. Fascinating!
Now to make your mocha, its actually quite easy.
- Froth your milk. My vintage machine demands this happen first. And I use 1% milk for the best foam structure.
- Mix a spoonful of cocoa powder and spoonful sugar directly into your cup.
- Pull your shot of espresso.
- Pour that hot espresso right over the cocoa and sugar mixture.
- Stir it well. Take your time here. You want a smooth, dark chocolate syrup. If it’s too thick, add a splash of the warm milk to help it dissolve.
- The Finish. Top with your frothed milk and a generous amount of whipped cream because you are not a monster.
Also Can I get some bonus points for how well the vintage cappuccino cups match the Christmas tablecloth? I mean… how perfect is this?
And so for a few minutes, we ignored the piles of work left to do before vacation starts. We ignored the ungodly amount of laundry waiting to be folded. We ignored the fact that I have barely wrapped a single present. We just stopped everything, drank delicious, decadent mochas, and took a few deep breaths. As one does on December 18th.
