Mocha Pairings: Gourmet Chocolate and Specialty Coffee
We are only just coming down from the caffeine-fuelled fun of London Coffee Festival. An event that we always love to see in the calendar, and this year particularly got us thinking. So much time, quality and care goes into the farming, roasting and brewing of the specialty coffee we enjoy sipping from our favourite neighbourhood cafes. As such, the same commitment to the quality of chocolate should be taken when pairing these beautiful beans together in a mocha.
In our next instalment of our Test Kitchen Series, we have selected the coffee from a handful of our specialty coffee roasting partners to curate a short list of our top mocha pairings. Discover our favourite sips that combine our chocolate with coffee from % Arabica, Extract Coffee Roasters, Climpsons & Sons and North Star Coffee Roasters.
1. 32% Hot Chocolate Powder and Extract Coffee Organic Blend
Mocha tasting notes:
Dark chocolate, caramel, fruit load, toffee apple.
Our 32% Hot Chocolate Powder was an obvious choice for Extract Coffee’s delicious Organic Blend. Blended for both barista excellence and bean-to-cup machines, our 32% boasts subtle caramel notes that pair perfectly with the toffee apple flavours of Organic Blend, a combo we’ve indulged in many times at Extract’s London HQ in Bermondsey. Check out our Mocha Martini to put a boozy twist on this recipe.
2. 37% White Chocolate Buttons and % Arabica Arabica Blend
Mocha tasting notes:
Strong coffee, malt, cream
Whenever we pay a trip to Battersea Power Station, or find ourselves wandering down Broadway Market, we always stop in for a white chocolate mocha. The strong coffee hit and high sweetness from % Arabica’s Arabica Blend pairs beautifully with the malt and creamy notes of our 37% White Chocolate buttons. If you’re a fan of slightly sweeter coffees, we guarantee you will LOVE this.
3. 45% Hot Chocolate Powder and Climpson & Sons Broadway Blend
Mocha tasting notes:
Caramel, raisin, vanilla, pear
Climpson & Sons are known for their roasting and experimental coffee products, such as their delicious Midnight Oil Range. With our 45% Hot Chocolate Powder being our bestseller, we already knew this was going to be a mocha made in heaven. Rich cocoa notes with a sweet caramel finish make this mocha one of the easiest-sipping we’ve tried.
4. 65% Dark Chocolate Buttons and North Star Coffee Roasters The Docks
Mocha tasting notes:
Milk chocolate, banana, toasted nuts, honey
Our furthest afield coffee roaster in our list but one of our closest friends, North Star’s coffee always comes packed with unique flavour notes and an easy drinking quality that we love. For their coffee, The Docks, we opted for our bestselling 65% Dark Chocolate Buttons. The subtle banana notes and unmistakable honey sweetness of our dark chocolate buttons taste right at home in a mocha with the toasted nut flavours of North Stars deliciously moreish beans.
Recipes and more
Looking for something else to whet the whistle? We have a wide range of recipes to suite any cravings. Discover indulgent hot chocolate recipes, easy iced chocolate recipes, milkshakes, mochas, frappes and chocolate based cocktails for any occasion.