Winter is the time when you constantly feel cold or sleepy. Or both at the same time. That’s why it’s good to have a couple of reliable recipes up the sleeve which can be pulled out spectacularly. Or poured, in our case.
What is better when fighting fatigue and sleepiness than a cup of steaming black coffee or frothy latte? And what is more obnoxiously tasteful than a mug of hot chocolate on a freezing day? You might be frozen with indecision. Because there is a hit of caffeine you badly need on the one hand. But also that sweet and luxurious molten chocolate topped with whipped cream on the other hand that will immediately set you in the right mood.
But don’t you worry, sometimes you don’t have to play by the rules and choose only one drink. You probably thought of mixing those two together. Like people used to do when they had some 3-in-1 coffee sachet and a hot chocolate mix. And while this drink definitely has its own voice in the caffeine abyss, you should be prepared for something more classy than that.
Meet Italian barbagliata or barbajada – a popular Milanese sweet frothy drink that combines the best from the two worlds. Invigorating caffeine kick and a velvety chocolatey stroke. It’s made as simple as that: some cocoa powder mixed with sugar, whisked into hot milk together with freshly brewed coffee.
You might have met barbagliata before, disguised as a caffè mocha (also called mochaccino). Yes, those two are of the same kind. But mocha is actually more a coffee drink that’s enriched with chocolate, while barbajada is a hot chocolate drink enriched with coffee. Nonetheless, both should be sipped with closed eyes, holding the mug with both hands, smiling and humming something merry under one’s breath. You know the drill.
What do you think?