Mocha Coffee Shop Recipe: Which is Better at Starbucks, Mocha or Latte?

Mocha Coffee

Ingredients - One Serving

Espresso 30ml

Steamed milk foam

Whipped cream

Chocolate sauce

Equipment

200cc coffee cup

Step 1

Pour 10ml of chocolate sauce into the cup

Step 2

Extract a single espresso of 30ml

Step 3

Pour prepared milk foam into the cup until 80% full

Step 4

Add an appropriate amount of whipped cream

Step 5

Drizzle with chocolate sauce

With so many specialty coffee varieties, do you often find it difficult to tell them apart? Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Americano.

FrontStreet Coffee teaches you how to distinguish each type of specialty coffee at Starbucks, so you will not be confused when ordering next time.

Coffee Varieties Guide

Americano Coffee

Americano can be said to be a general term for black coffee. Whether brewed with a French press or a pour-over, it can broadly be called Americano. In Italy, Americano typically consists of an espresso served with a cup of hot water on the side for you to add. The ratio of espresso to water depends on personal taste, approximately 1:12. Americano tastes lighter and lacks the strong flavor of Italian espresso, making it more easily accepted by non-coffee drinkers.

Con Panna

Con Panna belongs to the category of Italian specialty coffees. Its distinct black and white appearance is clearly visible in a transparent glass cup, earning it the nickname "Snow Mountain Coffee." The most prominent feature of Con Panna is the combination of cold whipped cream with hot espresso. Generally, Con Panna should not be stirred before drinking, allowing the strong, rich espresso to mix with sweet whipped cream, creating a smooth and delicate texture. The contrast between hot and cold also offers a unique flavor experience.

Latte

In Italian, "latte" means milk. In Italy, never just order a "latte," or the waiter will bring you a cup of hot milk instead of coffee. This shows that milk is the protagonist of this coffee. The standard ratio is approximately 1/6 espresso, 4/6 hot milk, and 1/6 milk foam. Additional flavors like cinnamon or vanilla can also be added. Because of the high proportion of milk and thick foam, the taste is sweeter, fragrant, and delicate.

Cappuccino

In Italian, "cappuccino" refers to foam coffee and also alludes to the loose robes and small pointed hats of Franciscan monks, similar to the brown color of cappuccino coffee. The difference between cappuccino and latte lies in the preparation ratio: espresso, milk, and foam are each in a 1:1:1 ratio. First pour the espresso, then the hot milk, and finally top with a thick layer of foam, sprinkled with cinnamon powder, cocoa powder, or citrus and lemon peel to enhance the flavor.

Mocha Coffee

Mocha coffee also belongs to Italian specialty coffees. The base is espresso, with chocolate syrup, fresh milk, and foam in a ratio of 1:0.5:1.5:1. Chocolate can also be added in the form of white chocolate. The most distinct flavor of mocha coffee is the slight bitter and burnt aroma of cocoa. Some fancy mocha coffees can be decorated with cream, cocoa powder, and marshmallows on top of the foam to enhance the coffee's characteristics and aroma.

Caramel Macchiato

In Italian, "macchiato" means "stained" or "marked," like a sweet imprint. It contains espresso, vanilla, and caramel, allowing you to taste three aromas at once. Generally, it should not be stirred before drinking, so your lips first meet the sweet foam and thick caramel sauce on top, followed by vanilla-scented foam, and finally the rich, aftertaste-filled espresso. Compared to a latte and cappuccino, however, a caramel macchiato has a higher proportion of espresso.

Irish Coffee

Some say Irish coffee is a cocktail rather than coffee, which is actually true, because Irish coffee itself contains whiskey. Besides coffee aroma, it also has the fragrance of alcohol. Irish coffee is typically made by first adding sugar, then slightly caramelizing the sugar with the alcohol from the whiskey, followed by espresso, and finally topping with fresh cream. The charming aroma floats in the air, entering the nasal cavity and harmonizing together, making it perfect for a warm cup on a winter day.

Viennese Coffee

As its name suggests, Viennese coffee is the favorite way to drink coffee among Austrians in Vienna. First, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar or fine rock sugar at the bottom of a warm coffee cup, then pour in espresso and decorate with fresh cream. The taste comes in three parts: sipping the bitterness and rich aroma of espresso in delicate syrup, followed by the smooth fresh cream blended into the coffee. American Viennese coffee also adds chocolate syrup, making the calorie content even higher.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Most of these drinks come down to a good espresso base plus milk, which is why the bean you choose matters so much. For a mocha or latte with a fruit-forward twist, FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy Coffee is a delightful choice: this Geisha blend, made from honey-processed Costa Rican coffee and washed Panamanian Geisha, carries rose, citrus, grape, and raisin aromas and turns distinctly strawberry-candy sweet once milk is added. It is an easy way to give a home latte a character all its own.

If you prefer the deeper, more traditional side of a coffee-shop menu, reach for the FrontStreet PWN Golden Mandheling. Screened three times by hand plus once by machine, its large, uniform beans are roasted medium-dark, and an immersion brew gives a thick, full-bodied cup with spice, caramel, cedar, and dark chocolate notes. It is a natural fit for a bold mocha or a strong, old-fashioned cup of black coffee.