Layered Mocha

Sip hot chocolate through layers of hot espresso and thick, cold cream in this deconstructed mocha. It’s based on the classic bicerin (beech-e-reen), from Caffè al Bicerin in Turin, Italy, and it fits right into our coffee-loving culture here in the western United States. Prep and Cook Time: about 30 minutes. Notes: Serve in heatproof glasses to see the layers. Stir in more sugar to taste.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “8 Indulgent Hot Chocolates for the Coziest Winter.”
How to Make It
Place cream in a bowl and chill until very cold, about 15 minutes. Fill 4 heatproof glasses (6 to 8 oz. each) with boiling water.
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in chopped chocolate until smoothly blended. Add 1 tbsp. sugar. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens slightly and coats spoon in a thin layer, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and keep hot.
Whip cream with 1 tbsp. sugar until thick, but before peaks form (cream should still be pourable). Mix remaining 1/2 tbsp. sugar with hot espresso.
Drain water from glasses. Pour one-quarter of hot chocolate into a glass. Hold a spoon, concave side down, at about a 45° angle so tip of spoon touches inside of glass, slightly above chocolate. Very slowly, pour one-quarter of espresso over back of spoon. Repeat for each glass. Spoon thick cream onto espresso, dividing evenly between glasses. Sift a bit of cocoa over cream if you like. Serve immediately.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Place cream in a bowl and chill until very cold, about 15 minutes. Fill 4 heatproof glasses (6 to 8 oz. each) with boiling water.
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in chopped chocolate until smoothly blended. Add 1 tbsp. sugar. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens slightly and coats spoon in a thin layer, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and keep hot.
Whip cream with 1 tbsp. sugar until thick, but before peaks form (cream should still be pourable). Mix remaining 1/2 tbsp. sugar with hot espresso.
Drain water from glasses. Pour one-quarter of hot chocolate into a glass. Hold a spoon, concave side down, at about a 45° angle so tip of spoon touches inside of glass, slightly above chocolate. Very slowly, pour one-quarter of espresso over back of spoon. Repeat for each glass. Spoon thick cream onto espresso, dividing evenly between glasses. Sift a bit of cocoa over cream if you like. Serve immediately.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.