Skip The $6 Mocha & DIY This Luxurious Version At Home Instead

Anyone who has enjoyed a rich and chocolatey mocha can tell you that it is not just your average coffee drink. The beverage blends the intensity and velvety texture of a latte with the decadent taste of chocolate, making for a truly unique drinking experience — one usually reserved for a trip to your local cafe. But what if you could make a mocha for yourself at home? Well, you can, and no, you won't need to invest in barista-level syrups. You need only raid your candy drawer.

To make a cafe-worthy mocha, use a piece of chocolate broken off from a Ghirardelli bar, or a piece of individually wrapped Lindt chocolate, and melt it in with your pour of espresso. You can do this by placing your chocolate square over your cup and brewing your espresso directly over it, or by putting your chocolate into your shot of espresso and stirring until its fully melted. Once your espresso and chocolate are mixed, add in your steamed milk and voila! You've got a creamy and chocolatey mocha to sip on (at home or on the go). In terms of proportions, you can use the basic formula for a latte, which calls for ⅓ espresso and ⅔ steamed milk. You can add as much or as little chocolate as you'd like. But you should keep in mind the quality of your chocolate, as a higher quality chocolate will produce a better mocha.

Beyond using a premium chocolate like Lindt for your at-home mocha, there are some more specific pointers to keep in mind when picking your chocolate. You can use any chocolate brand you prefer, but not every chocolate bar will yield the smoothest and tastiest possible result. A chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content, for example, will melt easier than a bar with lower cocoa butter content. This means that dark chocolate, which has higher fat content than milk chocolate, will melt more evenly in your espresso. Milk chocolate would still work, but it might be more of a challenge to achieve an even consistency. Plus, its high sugar content might make your drink too sweet for your liking.

The main rule of thumb is to use a chocolate that you can enjoy on its own. After all, if you don't like a Hershey's bar as a snack, you probably won't enjoy it in your coffee. But don't think you're stuck with plain old chocolate when making your mocha. You can get as creative as you'd like when choosing your bar (or truffle). A caramel-filled chocolate, like Ghirardelli's milk chocolate caramel squares, would make for a delicious caramel-mocha. If you're in the mood for something a little different, you can also use a white chocolate in order to make a white chocolate mocha. Or, maybe you're feeling spicy. If so, a chili infused dark chocolate might just be the perfect choice for a Mexican hot chocolate-inspired mocha.

Usually, when you purchase a mocha from your local (or chain) cafe, your drink is prepared based on a formula that includes a chocolate base. Most cafes use either a powder, which gives an intense cocoa flavor, or a syrup, which blends seamlessly with the texture of your espresso shot and steamed milk. So what is the benefit of using actual pieces of chocolate in your mocha? Well, real chocolate can add complex flavors not found in your run of the mill syrup, such as orange or raspberry, which make for a delightful and unexpected addition to your drink.

Brewing a homemade mocha not only allows you to choose high-quality, complexly flavored chocolates — it also offers the opportunity to customize your caffeine by turning your favorite candy bar into a drink. A peanut butter-filled chocolate, for example, can be the base for a peanut butter cup mocha. And you need not stop there. Adding a dollop of homemade whipped cream can take your mocha from basic to luxurious. Grating a piece of your chocolate over the top is the perfect way to finish off the drink. Regardless of what chocolate toppings and mix-ins you use, you're sure to end up with a delicious mocha — and one that's probably tastier and more unique than those you'd find at your neighborhood coffee shop. After all, there is perhaps no better pairing than coffee and chocolate. So feel free to be as bold as you like.