The day we figured out that certain dessert combinations translated perfectly into the world of coffee was a great day for all of humanity. Who doesn’t love salted caramel brownies? Well, now you can have a coffee version of this universally loved dessert: the salted caramel mocha!
By now, the salted caramel mocha is a popular drink all over the world, from the United States to Vietnam. And it really isn’t a surprise; when Starbucks first launched (internationally) the concept of sweet, milkshake-like coffee drinks, it caught on like wildfire. People everywhere in the world love these coffee drinks—even in places like North Korea!
However, this article is dedicated to one exceptional drink: the salted caramel mocha. This drink combines the delicious sweetness of caramel with just the right amount of salt to create a synergy of flavor that will drive you insane. So, let’s get started with the common facts before going through the simple recipe of making the salted caramel mocha.
Salty-Sweet
The combination that is the base for this drink, caramel and salt, comes from a practice in cooking—and particularly baking—that mixes sweet with salty.
By introducing salt into a sweet mix, is much like resetting your palate to the sweetness with the salt, then experimenting with the sweetness all over again from zero. This has great culinary value because, as you may have experienced, too much of just one flavor can result in an inability to taste it completely. A sweet drink is not anywhere as enjoyable on the last sip as it is on the first.
Therefore, in theory, a salty-sweet beverage or food is one that continues to be enjoyable throughout the whole experience in the same way it is the first time you taste it. There isn’t an overload of a particular flavor.
But the salted caramel mocha actually introduces another flavor into the mix to spice things up: smoke. Smoked foods have a particular flavor that is very rich and even though you might not think it at first, just wait until you try it.
You can purchase smoked sea salt, which is the original ingredient, but if you can’t find it anywhere near you, you’ll probably have more luck finding liquid or powdered smoke. Use a tiny bit of this along with the salt to create a similar taste to that of smoked salt.
How to Make Salted Caramel Mocha?
Ingredients
- 30 ml (or 60 for a stronger drink) espresso
- 200 ml milk of choice
- 1 tbsp chocolate syrup
- 1 tbsp Nutella or similar
- Whipped cream
- Caramel sauce
- 30 grams turbinado sugar
- 60 grams of sea salt (preferably smoked sea salt)
Instructions
- Mix together Nutella and chocolate syrup. If it feels too thick, add a little bit of milk. Pour into a mug.
- Brew coffee and pour over the chocolate mix. Ideally, it would be a light roast.
- Froth the milk. If you don’t have a milk frother, simply heat the milk and pour it into an empty water bottle. Shake vigorously for one minute to get frothed milk!
- Pour the frothed milk into your mug.
- Then, you can add on top with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.
- And now, the finishing touch: mix sugar and salt and then sprinkle on top to your heart’s content!
Now, we said some stuff about the smoked sea salt—it is important to note that the smoked flavor is in no way vital to this recipe at all. It adds a very niche touch and it is a popular ingredient to use—but it is not a necessary ingredient for this particular recipe.
After all, this is a salted caramel mocha, not a smoked salted caramel mocha! We’ve provided you with some ways to get around the smoked salt part, but don’t feel obligated to try them! Maybe you don’t care so much for this particular flavor. Maybe you don’t even like it. In these cases, it’s totally fine to simply skip the smoked part and go straight for that salted caramel goodness that we know and love.
Try this beverage with salted peanut butter cookies. To die for!
FAQ
Can I Use Vegetable Milk?
Yes, you can actually use any type of milk you prefer with this drink. However, since you need to froth the milk, it’s recommended that you use a type of milk that froths well. Some vegetable milk, like soy or almond, doesn’t froth so well.
There is some vegetable milk that froth even better than cow’s milk, though; oat and coconut milk are some examples of extra frothy milk that you can use for drinks like this that offer a better texture than you could ever dream of achieving with animal milk.
What Kind of Coffee Should I Use for Salted Caramel Mocha?
Because of the sweet nature of the drink, the ideal type of coffee would be an arabica. Starbucks, for example, uses an arabica that comes from Colombia. On top of that, it’s a light roast that synergizes great with the flavors in this drink.
That is not to say that if you used any other roast, the drink wouldn’t be good or tasty—it all depends on your personal taste. If you enjoy a more hearty coffee, go for a medium or breakfast roast. If you enjoy a stronger or bolder coffee, go with a dark roast.
In general, however, it’s best to stick to Central and South American beans for drinks like these.
Do I have to Use Espresso?
Unfortunately, yes. This drink is really only possible thanks to espresso. If you used brewed coffee like drip, then the drink would feel too diluted, and its flavor spread way thinner.
So, if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you might think you can’t make this drink. Don’t worry! You can still make very concentrated coffee. By making concentrated coffee that equals about two shots of espresso, you can still make this drink.
There are a lot of guides out there for this. The most accessible one is the French press guide to make espresso.