If you are a coffee lover, you know how much fun it can be to learn how to make a new beverage to share with your friends. One of our new favorites is an authentic Italian coffee known as bicerin. Keep reading as we provide a step-by-step guide to making it correctly, as well as explain how you can modify it to help you create your new favorite drink.
How to Make Bicerin Coffee:
- .5 cup espresso or strong coffee
- .5 cup hot chocolate
- .5 cup frothed milk
- Coffee maker or espresso machine
- Whisk or frother
- Large cup or wine glass
- Spoon
- Medium saucepan
1. Make the Hot Chocolate
In the first step, you want to make your hot chocolate. You can use any brand you like, and it can be fun to experiment to find one that you like best. However, since this is a multilayer beverage, the thicker it is, the better.
2. Make the Espresso
Most authentic recipes will use espresso for the coffee portion of the recipe. However, you can use a strong coffee if you prefer. In either case, you want to make it at the same time as the hot chocolate to ensure the hottest temperature and freshest flavor.
3. Froth the Milk
To create an authentic Bicerin coffee beverage, you will need to froth the milk. A frother is the easiest way, but you can also make a foam by whisking it vigorously, using an electric blender or mixer, or even shaking it in a jar.
4. Add the Espresso
Once you prepare all the ingredients, start creating your beverage by pouring the coffee into a large glass or mug. We recommend a wine glass because it is large and easy to hold, and the completed beverage looks amazing in it.
5. Add the Hot Chocolate
Immediately after adding the coffee to the glass, you will need to add the hot chocolate. You don’t want the chocolate to splash or mix with the coffee, so we recommend using a spoon to keep things neat. Set it up so you can slowly pour the hot chocolate onto the spoon and allow it to run off it right where the coffee meets the glass. The dense, heavy chocolate will sit on the bottom of the glass, and the coffee will float on top. With a bit of practice, you can create a visible separation between the two.
6. Add the Froth
In this last step, you will add the frothed milk. Like adding in the hot chocolate, you will want to be careful that you don’t move too quickly, which can cause the liquids to mix, ruining the drink. If it doesn’t get as thick as you wanted, you can use the spoon again to help ease in the foam gently. Then, admire your handiwork and enjoy!
The Authentic Italian Coffee Recipe Experience: What Are the Alternatives?
The main thing to remember about authentic Italian coffee is that the finished beverage should be in layers and not all mixed. You should even leave it unstirred while consuming it for the best experience. However, you can modify the flavor in several ways to create something that you enjoy even more.
Hot Chocolate
There are many brands of hot chocolate that you can try out in your authentic Italian coffee recipe. There are dark and milk chocolate varieties, and you can even try out a brand that uses white chocolate to change its appearance. Other types, like mint or raspberry, can have an added flavor that may not be authentic but will certainly be tasty. If you find it challenging to create separate layers, creating homemade hot chocolate can be a big help. You can add chunks of real chocolate to make it as thick as you want.
Espresso
There are several different brands of coffee and different roasts that you can use to change up your authentic Italian coffee recipe. A stronger variety is better to help balance out the sweet-tasting chocolate, which is why espresso is a good choice. However, you can also try a strong dark roast or another strong brew to achieve a similar effect.
Froth
There are many different alternatives for creating a good foam that you can try. We recommend using milk, but you can also use cream, which many other recipes use. Many people like to use commercial whipped cream, which is not authentic but is convenient, and you can try that too if you’re short on time.
Simple Authentic Italian Coffee Recipe (Bicerin)
Equipment
- Whisk or frother
- Large cup or wine glass
- Spoon
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- .5 cup Espresso or strong coffee
- .5 cup Hot chocolate
- .5 cup Frothed milk
Instructions
- Prepare your hot chocolate in a medium saucepan.
- Prepare your espresso or strong coffee so it is ready at about the same time as the hot chocolate.
- Create your milk froth using a frother or a whisk.
- Pour half of your prepared coffee into your serving cup.
- Slowly add the hot chocolate, using a spoon to prevent splashing and direct flow.
- Carefully add your foam topping to create the third layer, and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Conclusion
Authentic Italian coffee tastes great, and after a few tries, it will be as easy as any other beverage to create. It’s also highly customizable because there are many substitutions that you can try for each ingredient, so it is easy to create something unique while remaining authentic. We recommend focusing on creating a nice, thick hot chocolate, as it’s essential to creating the multiple layers that you require. In no time, you will find yourself with extra company, hoping that they can get a sip of this tasty beverage!
Featured Image Credit: Kcuxen, Shutterstock
