How to Make Caffe Mocha

Intro: How to Make Caffe Mocha

Previously known as:
How to make Chocolate Frappuccino Mocha Latte

For those of you who are poor like me, or simply love doing things DIY even early in the morning, this is for you.

The name is complicated, I swear the ingredients are not. This took me 15 minutes the first time, and It'll take you less once you have the syrup on the ready. This is made from normal coffee, and not espresso. (If you want it to taste more espresso-like, just add a teaspoon more of coffee when you brew it.)

I like mine hot, but you can cool it by sticking it in the fridge or adding ice. Just don't add ice first (in the cup) then add the hot coffee, or else you could break the cup.

You will notice that most of the drink is actually just milk, and only 1/4 to 1/5 of the actual mix is coffee.

For one cup you will need:
Syrup (this makes a small cup of syrup, so you can use it maybe 10-15 times again, same recipe)

1/4 cup of cocoa powder (NOT GROUND CHOCOLATE)
1/2 cup sugar (I used a little less, maybe 3/8)
1 dash salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make your own!)

Coffee

2 teaspoons your choice of ground coffee (I chose Trader Joes Bay Blend Arabica Beans)
1/4 cup of hot water

3/4 cup of hot milk (you can steam this if you have the tools)

Sidenote: Don't forget to rate and vote! Thanks!

STEP 1: Make the Syrup

Now for those who like this drink a lot, you can multiply the recipe however you like.
You can use that weird Hershey's Syrup stuff, but honestly, there's too much other stuff in there besides the chocolate, and its a bit too sweet for me.

Unfortunately, I haven't any pictures of this step, but it shouldn't be too hard.

Mix the cocoa and sugar, and put them in a sauce pan.

Heat on Medium-High.
Leave it in there for a minute or two (any more can actually burn the chocolate leaving a strange smell/taste, but if you want, you can heat the sugar first, making it more caramel-like. Just don't put the chocolate in first then), mixing the dry cocoa and sugar, so the sugar can heat up, and perhaps burn a little for a more caramel-like taste.

Add the water slowly, thirds at a time, mixing well in between.
Then add a dash of salt (brings out the flavor, but just a tiny bit!)

Once mixed completely, the mix will probably be already boiling, so lower the heat to a Medium, let it boil for about 5-8 minutes mixing constantly.

Boil until mixture thickens, you will notice that if you move your spoon (or whatever you're mixing with) fast through the mixture, you can see the bottom of the pot for a quick second.

Don't worry if it looks feels or looks too viscous, it will harden once you turn off the heat.
Turn the Heat off, let it cool for a few minutes.

I boiled a small jar (to kill bacteria), then poured the syrup in there.

STEP 2: Milk

Before you make your Coffee, you want to make the milk part first:

Take 3/4 Cup of milk, cover and microwave (or heat) for two minutes.

OPTIONAL: If you have a frothing wand, then use that. If you don't, you can stick the milk into the blender and froth for a couple of minutes, or use a hand blender (which is what I did, see pictures) and make it nice and frothy.

Normally, a professional coffee maker wants to achieve something called a microfoam milk, which is basically milk that is whipped, while steamed.  It has extremely small bubbles (thus the name microfoam), and a froth texture like no other. This gives your mocha, or frappuccino (or what have you) a rich texture, thick texture.

STEP 3: Make the Coffee

Of course, you can always make espresso but it will taste different, and as I have stated before, I am poor... so no espresso machine for me.

Now for the coffee, I used a French Press, but you can use your normal coffee machine to make yourself a batch of coffee.

If you're using the French Press: Mix your ground beans and hot water together, wait a minute, extract the coffee, pour into your cup. (I'm guessing if you own a french press, you should know how it works)

Electric Coffee Machine: Make Coffee (is it really that hard?)

STEP 4: Final Step, Mix, and Enjoy

First, pour your coffee into the cup, and then add a teaspoon of your syrup.
Mix until the syrup is melted, and combined.

If you've got your milk ready, hot and whipped up, pour it in, do the latte shake (or don't, and be unexciting)
Note: if you don't have microfoam or some sort of whipping cream, this won't be the result you get... it's just exciting to pretend you have good foam...  Otherwise your milk will just mix right into the coffee.

(not my video)
The picture shows me adding the syrup after I've added the milk, but you can do it either way.

Enjoy your cup of home brewed Chocolate Frappuccino Mocha Latte Matte Whatevchamigg!
(I also hope you've enjoyed my super use of formatting :)

Comments

[jamiemichelle2]

I tired all kinds of online hacks, and none were starbucksy enough for me. This is the only one that really nailed it: https://diyloftbed.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/going-broke-at-starbucks/

[RebekahP4]

Ok, im new to the whole coffe world. How do you make coffee with 2 teaspoons of grounds and a quarter cup of water? Regular coffee pots are designed to make at least 2 cuos at a time, and I have a Keurig ao that also complicates matters. Ahould I just use any good strong coffee?

[flio191]

Good question! In this recipe, you're practically making "fake espresso" because true espresso requires 7x gravity pressure and most people don't have machines to do that. But for the Keurig world, you're gonna want to just make a plain coffee, and then add the chocolate, and milk into it, and it'll taste fine. You can use a darker roast, like espresso roast, but this just means that the taste is stronger.

Keep in mind that lighter roasts tend to have more caffeine, and darker roasts have less.

It's been many years since I've made this post so I should probably update it soon.

[AlisonG9]

mine was still runny even after cooling

[SophieZ]

Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for the simple but amazing recipe.

[CatherineO2]

Very nice, i put the vanilla extract in with the syrup. The finished syrup is awesome on its own!

[Xalten]

Thanks, I made it and it tastes delicious. I rarely ever have mochas so I just added milk to the syrup, boiled it, and made some good hot chocolate later on.

[CDM_1980]

So this might be a stupid question but i cant see an answer above. Going to give this a try but was wondering when you put the Vanilla Extract in? is it just mixed in with the syrup while its cooling?

[Xalten]

Most vanilla extract has alcohol mixed in, so ita better to put it in at the begining to vaporize it when boiling it.

[CaveTrollerG]

would baking cocoa work instead of cocoa powder?

[flio191]

I'm certain that's fine!

[jan.stroh.94]

can't wait to try this, do you refrigerate the leftover mocha syrup?

[AndyE2]

Just what I was looking for! I was finally able to make an acceptable Caffe Mocha at home instead of driving across town to Starbucks. I like mine less sweet, so used 3/8 c sugar and it was just right.

[eblokwk]

Fu Fu drink and a waste of good coffee.

[JacobWard101]

Great now i can get my favorite drink at home.

Oh yeah its espresso not expresso

[アホージンズ]

I just made this and it was delicious. I'm not normally a coffee person, but when I get a hankering for it mochas tend to be my favored drink. At $5 a pop, however, I just can't afford to buy them! As the school year looms on the horizon, I thank you for enabling me to develop a sustainable coffee habit.

[JJ.m99]

Thank you so much :D I've just made this and it tastes delicious !!

[MakerBorn]

Great 'structable! I got to go to Paris (free!) in October, and I've been craving something like this (that I can actually afford) ever since. Thanks!

[shostakovich]

oooooh.. good... thanks ;-)

[jjinyancey]

Does it matter what kind of milk you use...whole milk, 2 %, whipping cream...?