Monday Morning Mocha
“Do you want coffee in the morning?” my husband would frequently ask in the past. That is a rhetorical question. I finally explained to him that unless I am sick or pregnant, the answer is always yes and asking the question is just a waste of words. So, now his question is: “What time do you want your coffee in the morning?”
When we got married almost 8 years ago, he started making my morning coffee and bringing it to me in bed. Yes, I know. He’s a keeper. Over the years, bringing it to me in bed stopped, but he still makes my coffee nearly every morning. Also, when we got married, I started making mocha lattes for him twice a week and espresso once a week. When I added up the cost of his coffee shop habit, I convinced him that I could make him his favorite coffee drink at home for much less money. I had an old espresso machine that my brother had given to me, and so I found it and set it up. I ordered the syrup and downloaded the recipe for white mocha latte. However, over time, I started making his mocha with four simple ingredients: milk, espresso, sweetened condensed milk, and cacao powder. (Yes, that is spelled correctly—I use the less processed cacao powder instead of the more processed cocoa powder).
He now says that he generally prefers my mochas over what he purchases in a coffee shop. And we have saved thousands of dollars (at least $10/week over 7 1/2 years!) I will share how I make them below:
Equipment needed:
Espresso coffee maker
Cooking thermometer, optional (Note: I don’t use a thermometer anymore because I learned to determine the proper temperature by touch, but you may need one at first).
Measuring spoons
Mug (I use one that holds approx. 16 oz.)
As you can see, I need to work on my pouring skills so that I can make pretty designs.
Ingredients:
Espresso (1 or 2 shots, depending on desired strength)
Sweetened condensed milk (1 - 3 Tbsp., depending on desired level of sweetness)
3/4 - 7/8 cup of milk
1 Tbsp. cacoa (or cocoa) powder
Instructions: Make espresso, following coffee maker’s instructions. Stir in cacao powder. Steam/froth milk in glass measuring cup to 150 - 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour espresso and cacao mixture into mug, stir in sweetened condensed milk, and pour steamed and frothed milk into mug. Enjoy (or serve to someone who will)!
I tell my husband that no one could pay me enough to drink the mocha the way I make it for him because it is too sweet! I prefer my coffee black—but it has to be a good quality coffee!
We usually buy our coffee at a wholesale store, and we have typically been able to find some good, but not great, coffee. A few months ago, however, a friend reached out to me to see if I wanted to try (again) the coffee that he roasts and sells. We had tried it earlier in 2019 when he was sending out samples as he was developing his roasting profiles before he started selling it. The samples that we tried were amazing! So, when he reached out to me, I decided to give it another try. And, wow! Yes, “Wow!” is actually what I said when taking my first sip of BCJ coffee one morning. And while I don’t have the coffee budget (yet) to buy this coffee for daily consumption, it is a wonderfully special treat. And Blue Collar Joe Coffee Co. is partnering with me to offer you the opportunity to win a bag of this delicious coffee for yourself! All you have to do to enter the drawing is subscribe to my blog! (If you are already a subscriber, please leave a comment below to let me know that you are interested in entering the giveaway contest). Once I have randomly selected a winner, the winner will be sent a bag of freshly roasted coffee directly from Blue Collar Joe Coffee Co. The giveaway entry ends Friday, January 10, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced the following week. And if you don’t win, please consider ordering some BCJ coffee for yourself!
Edited to add: The period for this giveway entry is now closed. The winner of the drawing was Geneva B.
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