Bicerin

Adapted from www.lacucinaitaliana.com

Makes 1 beverage

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 c. light cream or full-fat milk (using the cream will make a thicker hot chocolate)

2oz. dark chocolate or more to taste, chopped or grated (use the best chocolate possible - it makes a huge difference)

1tsp. granulated sugar, or more to taste (in Torino, the hot chocolate isn’t really sweet, only a little bit)

3oz. whipping cream

2 oz. freshly-brewed espresso

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk or cream over medium-low heat until nearly simmering. Do not let it boil at all.

2. Add the chopped chocolate and sugar and stir frequently until the chocolate has melted and everything is mixed well.

3. While the milk is warming (or beforehand), whip the whipping cream (and a little sugar or honey if you prefer it sweet) in a bowl until thickened. As for how thick to make it, there are two schools of thought - you can either whip it just enough to thicken it so it’s pourable and thus doesn’t need a spoon to eat it in the drink. Or, you can whip it until there are thick, stiff peaks. For this style, you would use a spoon to (gently) top the drink and then enjoy it. Both are excellent, but I personally lean towards the pourable version.

4. When the hot chocolate is ready, pour it into a glass, then gently pour the espresso over the back of a wide spoon on top of the hot chocolate to create a separate layer. (If this doesn’t go well, don’t worry. It takes some practice. The drink still tastes amazing.) Lastly, top with the whipped cream and serve.

4 servings of espresso (we use espresso cups to measure), 2 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp fresh cream, 7 oz dark chocolate