Once fall arrives, I live in anticipation of the holiday season - that fairy tale world of twinkling lights, cozy family time, gift-giving, and gatherings over a good meal. Sweets and treats are surely part of that image and regardless of how close reality is to fantasy when it comes to the holidays, I find myself impatient, with fingers tapping, wondering when I can start baking Christmas cookies already!
Cookies are coming...but aside from cookies (and lots of chocolates - this is when I stock up on some extra special chocolates), I also think of warm indulgent drinks to sip and savor. I tried Barcelona hot chocolate a couple of winters ago and it became our Christmas morning drink. I recently auditioned another contender with this Bicerin (pronounced: bee-chair-EEN), a coffee and chocolate drink native to Turin (Torino), Italy.
Torino is a part of the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. When I think Piedmont, I think hazelnuts and given my love of all things chocolate-and-hazelnuts, I always pay attention to anything associated with Piedmont. Well, this drink, Bicerin, which translates into "small glass" in Piedmontese (for how the drink was originally served), has been around since the 18th century when it was served at the cafe, Al Bicerin. But forget the small glass; after trying it, I want as big a glass as I can get my hands on!
This delicious drink consists of three parts: a base layer of rich hot chocolate, followed by strong coffee or espresso, topped with a final layer of lightly whipped cream. It's rich and absolutely delicious for any fan of the coffee and chocolate combination.
I have been wanting to try David Lebovitz's recipe for Bicerin for a long time and I am very happy I finally have. Even dialing down the amount of chocolate I used for the base layer and using my regular drip coffee, the drink turned out sensational. It was a great accompaniment to breakfast on a cold morning last weekend.
The nice thing about making things at home is you can customize it to your liking. Maybe you prefer your drink with a little less hot chocolate and a bit more coffee, or the reverse. Use espresso instead of strong coffee if you have it. And instead of whipped cream, you could top it with milk foam for a lighter version. I prefer mine with plenty of rich chocolate flavor and the whipped cream was a wonderful treat. It's great to see the layers in the drink (if you look closely) but I like giving it a stir before taking a good sip and enjoying that wonderfully robust chocolate and coffee combination. It will warm and cheer you right up!
As my husband would say, "I be cheering for Bicerin!" It's certainly a great drink for a cold day during the holidays!
Cheers!
Recipe:
Bicerin
Adapted from David Lebovitz
- For two servings -
1 cup whole milk
2-3 ounces chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used 2 oz.)
1 1/2 cups (or so) freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipped with a spoonful of sugar and touch of vanilla extract)
Warm milk and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the mixture until it begins to boil, then let it boil for another 1 minute, whisking constantly. The chocolate mixture will foam up a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Whip cream with a spoonful of sugar and about 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional) until it's soft and billowy.
To make the drink, fill the bottom third of a clear heat-proof glass with the hot chocolate. Pour in another third of coffee over the back of a spoon into the glass (this helps separate the layers). Lastly, top with a few spoonfuls of the freshly whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Note: If you don't find the drink sweet enough, feel free to stir in some sugar, to taste. We found it was just right without the need for more sugar.
Torino is a part of the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. When I think Piedmont, I think hazelnuts and given my love of all things chocolate-and-hazelnuts, I always pay attention to anything associated with Piedmont. Well, this drink, Bicerin, which translates into "small glass" in Piedmontese (for how the drink was originally served), has been around since the 18th century when it was served at the cafe, Al Bicerin. But forget the small glass; after trying it, I want as big a glass as I can get my hands on!
I have been wanting to try David Lebovitz's recipe for Bicerin for a long time and I am very happy I finally have. Even dialing down the amount of chocolate I used for the base layer and using my regular drip coffee, the drink turned out sensational. It was a great accompaniment to breakfast on a cold morning last weekend.
As my husband would say, "I be cheering for Bicerin!" It's certainly a great drink for a cold day during the holidays!
Recipe:
Bicerin
Adapted from David Lebovitz
- For two servings -
1 cup whole milk
2-3 ounces chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used 2 oz.)
1 1/2 cups (or so) freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipped with a spoonful of sugar and touch of vanilla extract)
Warm milk and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the mixture until it begins to boil, then let it boil for another 1 minute, whisking constantly. The chocolate mixture will foam up a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Whip cream with a spoonful of sugar and about 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional) until it's soft and billowy.
To make the drink, fill the bottom third of a clear heat-proof glass with the hot chocolate. Pour in another third of coffee over the back of a spoon into the glass (this helps separate the layers). Lastly, top with a few spoonfuls of the freshly whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Note: If you don't find the drink sweet enough, feel free to stir in some sugar, to taste. We found it was just right without the need for more sugar.
