Cafe Borgia
A chocolate espresso with fresh orange zest stirred through it, under whipped cream with more zest and a dusting of cocoa. It is a mocha with an orange edge, and the zest, not orange syrup, is what keeps it tasting fresh.
At a glance
- Espresso : chocolate
- 1:2
- Active time
- 5 min
- Total time
- 8 min
- Makes
- 1 cup
- Serve
- Hot, with cream
- Kit
- Espresso machine
Ingredients
Note: Grate the zest directly over the cup so the oil that sprays off goes into the drink.
Method
-
Make the hot chocolate
Heat 100 ml of milk with 20 g of chopped dark chocolate, whisking until smooth. Grate half the orange zest straight into it.
3 minutes -
Espresso and chocolate together
Pull a double espresso into a warmed glass mug and pour in the orange hot chocolate. Stir.
25 to 30 seconds -
Cream, zest and cocoa
Top with whipped cream, grate the rest of the zest over it, and dust with a little cocoa.
Why this works
Chocolate and orange are a classic pairing for a chemical reason. Orange zest is full of limonene and other bright, citrusy aromatic compounds, and they cut through the heavy, rounded richness of cocoa butter and roasted cocoa. Coffee strengthens the chocolate's roasted notes. The orange keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy.
Zest is used rather than juice or syrup because that is where the flavour is. The oil glands in the coloured layer of the peel hold the aroma. Grating directly over the drink sprays the most volatile oils straight into it. Orange juice would add mostly sourness, and orange syrups often taste of candied peel rather than fresh fruit.
The hot chocolate is made with real chocolate rather than cocoa powder for body. Cocoa butter gives a silky texture and carries flavour on the tongue, which suits a drink this rich. Mixing the espresso and hot chocolate in roughly one to two proportion keeps the coffee present. More chocolate and it becomes a hot chocolate with coffee in it.
Café Borgia is an Italian-American café drink, and despite the name it has no documented link to the Borgia family of Renaissance Rome. It belongs to the same family as the mocha and the marocchino, and is the orange-flavoured branch of it.
Variations
- With orange liqueur: 15 ml stirred in, for an evening version.
- With milk chocolate: sweeter and milder.
- Iced: chill the orange hot chocolate, pour over ice with the espresso, top with cold foam.
- With cinnamon: a pinch in the hot chocolate for a warmer spice.
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Questions
What is café Borgia?
An Italian-American café drink of espresso and hot chocolate with orange zest, topped with whipped cream, more zest and cocoa.
Is café Borgia Italian?
It is an Italian-American café drink rather than one you will find in Italy. The name has no documented link to the Borgia family.
Can I use orange syrup instead of zest?
You can, about 10 ml, but fresh zest tastes brighter and less sweet.
What is the difference between café Borgia and a mocha?
Café Borgia is a mocha with fresh orange zest in it and on top.