Jazz Up Your Morning Coffee!

If you're a coffee lover like me, and if you previously worked at a coffee house and may be irreversibly captured by the sweet aroma of coffee--you might just enjoy reading on.

Sure, coffee might be a pick-me-up, but to some of us, it's more than the caffeine jolt and jump start on our metabolism, WE DRINK IT CAUSE IT TASTES GOOD. ;)

Black coffee is great, but sometimes it's a bit too strong or the quality isn't there, so cream and something sweet can revitalizes it.  But what if you don't want your cream to cool down your coffee?  And WHAT IF you want that perfect foam that you get from your favorite coffee shop?

This is an easy misto*/mocha* type drink to make without an espresso machine (it takes about 4 minutes to make).

Ingredients and supplies:
chocolate of your choice (you can find this in the bulk food section at your grocery store)
white chocolate chips (6-7 chips--adds a sweet, creamy, vanilla flavor)
honey or maple syrup (1-2 tsp, a natural sweetener)
optional:  pumpkin pie spice--if you use maple syrup, add a tsp of pumpkin pie spice.  Tastes like a chocolatey Christmas in your mouth!
1/2 and 1/2 milk (you can use whole milk, 2%, non-fat, etc, but I think 1/2 gives it a nice creamy flavor and texture)
You will also need a small pot and a small whisk.

First, start brewing your coffee (drip or french press)--you'll only need to make enough to fill your cup about 3/4 full.  Regular strength coffee is fine.
While your coffee is brewing, pour about a 1/2 c. of milk in a small pot and turn the burner to low.  Chop your milk chocolate (about 1 1/2 TBS).

Put your milk chocolate shavings, white chocolate chips, and honey (or maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice) in a microwavable coffee cup:

Take a small whisk and at a medium speed, whisk the milk (while it's still on the burner on "low" temp). Your milk should be at a medium temperature by now* (if you happen to heat your milk to a boil, turn off immediately--milk tends to taste sour over 180 F).  Whisk for about 20 seconds (there should be a little bit of froth, but not much):

Microwave your chocolates and honey until melted (apx 10-20 seconds).  While, it's microwaving, whisk the milk for another 20 seconds.  You should be getting some nice foam.  Turn off the burner and tend to your chocolate:  take the small whisk and carefully take the chocolate out of the microwave (careful, the mug might be a bit hot).  Stir the chocolate:

It's okay if it's a little crumbly at first, but as you continue stirring (for about 5 seconds), it should become a creamy consistency:

If you do not have this consistency, put it back in the microwave for another 5-10 seconds.  Once your creamy, melted chocolate is ready, add about 1/4 c. of your prepared milk (it's okay if a little foam get in).
Quickly whisk the milk and chocolate together until you have a kind-of chocolate milk (no chocolate pieces should remain, if you have remaining chocolate pieces that will not mix into the milk, your milk is not warm enough and/or the chocolate may have sat for too long and has cooled off)

Finally, add your coffee and your remaining frothy milk.  You're ready to enjoy this diy-foam misto/mocha-y coffee drink!

Special notes:
The foam isn't a lot or super frothy above, but I found, after a few more times of making this, I got better at whisking (*it helps if you whisk a little while it's still relatively cool, then also, when it's warm/hot as instructed above) and my foam is pretty foamy and great, now  :)
--you may want to change the proportions of the ingredients depending on your
preference.  Please note that you may need to adjust the cook times as well.
*misto:  half drip coffee, half steamed milk
*mocha:  chocolate, espresso shot, steamed milk
*if the unknown exact milk temperature makes you nervous, you can use a clean thermometer (e.g. small meat thermometer) and make sure your milk doesn't go over 170F