When coffee and milk meet chocolate, remarkable things get created. Cafe Mocha is one of the glorious results, a decadent coffee beverage with hints of cocoa, rich espresso, and sweet milk. But what is white mocha?
It’s a drink that’s just a shade lighter and tastes almost the same! With secret ingredient swaps. Here’s the story behind this delicious and sweet coffee variation.
Topics Explored
- What is White Mocha?
- What Is It Made Of?
- What Does It Taste & Look Like?
- How to Make White Chocolate Mocha At Home
- Commonly Confused Drinks
- More Questions
What Is White Mocha?
White mocha is a milk-based coffee drink made with espresso, white chocolate, and steamed milk. The contrast between this beverage and regular mocha is the choice of chocolate.
Regular mocha uses cocoa powder or dark chocolate.
The beverage’s ratio is similar to the latte with the addition of chocolate. It’s ¼ espresso, ¼ white chocolate, and ½ steamed milk.
Cafe mocha is a replica of the popular coffee beverage Bicerin.(1) The Cafe Al Bicerin was born in Turin as an elevated cafe latte. It’s made by layering espresso, hot chocolate, and frothed milk in a steamed glass.
The drink is named Mocha after the town in Yemen, a long-time coffee export center.
What Is In A White Mocha?
The secret ingredient of white mocha is white chocolate. It can be a sauce, syrup, or even melted white chocolate. Then it’s followed by a brewed espresso or brewed coffee. Espresso is preferred as it tastes better. Then it’s finished with steamed milk.
The beverage can be topped with whipped cream or chocolate shavings, or even marshmallows.
Taste & Appearance
At first sight, this decadent might look like a latte, but it packs way more when it comes to taste. The chocolatey sweetness perfectly completes the intense espresso flavor.
If you would compare regular mocha vs. the white version, what’s the difference? Here’s what you should know about this drink in a nutshell.
Taste
This particular brew is decadent and smooth. It’s essentially a sweeter and creamier version of the classic latte. Depending on the type of coffee, it can have a richer or lighter coffee flavor.
You can expect more pronounced milk chocolate notes if it’s made using melted chocolate instead of sauce or syrup.
Appearance
Contrary to its name, white mocha is tan-colored. It includes coffee which contributes to its beige color. It actually looks a lot like a latte! In fact, the composition is quite similar. It’s more faded than the regular mocha.
You can get always get it hot or iced, and topped with whipped cream.
Temperature
Although traditionally, this drink is served hot, you can have white mocha iced or cold. The hot version includes steamed milk and chilled espresso.
The cold version comes with chilled frothed milk, made by using a handheld frother. It is often served in a larger size due to all the ice included.
How to Make White Chocolate Mocha At Home
Unlike regular mocha, this beverage is not a staple at many coffee shops. However, if you’re eager to switch things up, you can always make it yourself.
We’ve got the perfect guide on how to make white chocolate mocha at home.
White Chocolate Mocha (No-Fail Recipe)
Love store-bought white chocolate mocha? Now you can make it at home with this seriously easy recipe. The key ingredient is brewed espresso as it packs a strong flavor and aroma!
Ingredients
- Brewed Espresso: 2 shots
- White Chocolate Sauce: 2 -3 tbsp (more if you like it sweeter)*
- 2% Milk: 1 cup
- Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Brew 2 shots using a conventional espresso machine or a Moka pot. Use a darker roast if you can. It stands up better against the sweetness of the chocolate.
- Add the white chocolate sauce into a cup. Then, pour half the freshly brewed espresso and stir to combine. Set the cup aside.
- If you have an espresso machine, place the milk in a pitcher and froth it using the steam wand. Otherwise, you can use a handheld frother or a mason jar.
- Next, take your cup with espresso and pour in the frothed milk. Scoop out any remaining foam.
- Gently pour the rest of the espresso over the foam to create a layered look. Optionally, top it up with whipped cream if you want to amp it up even more.**
Notes
* I use Torani Puremade White Chocolate Sauce in this recipe. It’s available online and in most grocery store chains.
** If you decide to add whipped cream to the hot drink, do it right before serving, as it will melt away fast.
Commonly Confused With White Mocha
This decadent brew is commonly confused with other milk and chocolate drinks. It’s probably what had you baffled and wondering what is white mocha exactly?
Here are some differences to note among similar drinks, so you don’t end up ordering what you didn’t have in mind.
1. White Mocha vs Mocha
There are two types of mocha – white and simply mocha. White mocha is made with white chocolate sauce or syrup. Mocha is the original version and can be made with cocoa powder, hot chocolate, syrup, or sauce.
Mocha is darker, with stronger hints of dark chocolate. The white version has a milkier taste.
2. White Mocha vs Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
Toasted white mocha is a seasonal drink offered by Starbucks.(2) It includes the same ingredients as white mocha with an extra toasty taste coming from the caramel flavoring. The original version doesn’t contain any caramel.
This drink is available hot and iced and comes topped with whipped cream and cranberry sugar.
3. White Mocha vs. Latte
White Mocha is actually a variation of the classic latte. It’s a latte that’s been upgraded with white chocolate syrup or sauce.
The preparation method and ingredients are the same. The ratios of milk and espresso also come close, but the mocha has a portion of the milk replaced with chocolate sauce.
Final Words
Some additions make coffee taste even more superior, like chocolate, for example. If mocha is among your favorite drinks, you’d love this variation. Wondering what is white mocha?
Think of it as a latte made with white chocolate. It could be melted white chocolate, syrup, or sauce. It’s decadent, smooth, and oh-so-delicious. It’s amazing hot or iced and you can even make it at home following our simple recipe!
More Questions
Is white mocha the same as white chocolate mocha?
Don’t get confused – they are both are the very same drink! The first one is just a cropped version of the full name.
The key ingredient in the drink is the white chocolate sauce which gives it its distinct taste. Whether you’re asking for a white mocha or white chocolate mocha, you’ll get the same drink.
How many calories are in a white mocha?
Chocolate and milk are a good combination for a calorie-dense drink. For example, a grande can contain approximately 430 calories!
Most of the calories come from the white chocolate sauce. A single pump of the sauce has 60 calories, and the grande contains 4 pumps!
Does white mocha have caffeine?
Yes, it can contain a substantial amount of caffeine. The caffeine content comes from espresso. As a rule of thumb, the larger the size, the more espresso shots it has.
Usually, it comes with 2 shots. This sums up the total caffeine to 150 mg.
Wondering where your info comes from? We totally understand. Hey Joe only obtains our information from reputable sources. Contents from this article are sourced from the following publications:
- The Coffee Wiki: https://coffee.fandom.com/wiki/Bicerin
- Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com
