Bicerin

Name: Bicerin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 60 g dark chocolate; 150 ml Whole milk; 10 g Cocoa powder; 15 g caster sugar; 120 ml freshly brewed hot espresso; 100 ml double cream; 5 g icing sugar

A historic Turin café drink made of hot thick drinking chocolate, strong espresso, and lightly whipped cold cream layered in a small clear glass.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

60 g dark chocolate — min. 70% cocoa solids, finely chopped
150 ml Whole milk — fresh full-fat
10 g Cocoa powder — unsweetened Dutch-process
15 g caster sugar — fine white sugar
120 ml freshly brewed hot espresso — freshly extracted and hot
100 ml double cream — well chilled
5 g icing sugar — sifted

Equipment

•Small heavy-bottomed saucepan
•Whisk
•Espresso machine or moka pot
•Two heatproof clear glasses
•Bar spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 24 g
carbs: 28 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Warm two small heatproof glasses with hot water and dry them thoroughly.
2
Whisk the whole milk, cocoa powder, and caster sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.
3
Add the chopped dark chocolate and whisk continuously until completely melted, thick, and glossy.
4
Pour the hot chocolate evenly into the bottom of both prepared glasses.
5
Whisk the chilled double cream and icing sugar in a small bowl until soft and slightly thickened but still fluid.
6
Brew the hot espresso and slowly pour it over the back of a spoon onto the chocolate layer in each glass.
7
Float the cold, soft cream carefully over the espresso using the back of a spoon to create three clear layers.
8
Serve immediately without stirring so the hot liquid filters through the cold cream.

Chef's tips

Do not whip the cream until stiff, as it must remain pourable so it floats easily and flows when sipped. Always preheat your serving glasses with hot tap water to prevent thermal shock and keep the chocolate hot. Sip the drink directly from the glass rather than using a straw or spoon.

Ingredient substitutions

double cream → whipping cream with at least 35 percent fat content
espresso → very strong freshly brewed moka pot coffee

Storage

Bicerin must be served immediately upon assembly; the chocolate base can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Gently reheat the chocolate base in a saucepan over low heat before assembling with freshly brewed hot espresso and cold cream.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Stirring the layers together before drinking, which ruins the traditional hot-and-cold textural contrast.
•Over-whipping the double cream into stiff peaks that cannot be sipped smoothly.
•Pouring hot espresso directly into the centre without a spoon buffer, disturbing the chocolate layer.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside traditional Piedmontese baci di dama or dry hazelnut biscuits.Present in small stemless glasses or handled glass goblets without stirring spoons.