Iced Mocha Royale

"Iced Mocha," from Make It Like a Man!

I’m quite accustomed to Starbucks’ iced mocha.[a] I’m a loyal fan and a regular customer. However, this deluxe, homemade version is better.

Ingredients for 4 grande-sized servings:

2 cups (16 oz.) freshly brewed, richly flavored coffee[b]
¼ cup sugar[c]
¼ cup heavy cream[d]
¼ cup Chocolat Royal liqueur[e]
Whipped cream, for optional garnish
Chocolate bar, for optional garnish

How to do it:

With the exception of the garnishes, mix all ingredients vigorously. Allow to cool, and then refrigerate until cold, several hours.[f] To serve, give the container a good shake, and then pour into glasses that are half-filled with ice. (Garnish with whipped cream. Use a microplane zester to grind chocolate over the whip.)
"Iced Mocha," from Make It Like a Man!

Notes:

  1. Culinary Lore has an interesting article about the history of the term “mocha,” intertwined with some coffee history.
  2. I alter my usual coffee-to-water ratio in favor of the former when brewing a pot destined to become a mocha. This is a matter of taste.
  3. I used white sugar for this recipe, but would I consider brown sugar? Definitely.
  4. Could you make your iced mocha with milk or half-and-half instead of cream? Of course. Consider condensed milk, though, or dulce de leche; live dangerously!
  5. Chocolat Royal liqueur has a slightly lower proof (37%) than vodka (40%). So yes, this is an alcoholic mocha in a technical sense, but not in a practical one. A full batch contains only 2 ounces of alcohol. A generous shot of alcohol is 1½ ounces. You’d have to drink the entire batch in an hour or less to consider yourself to have had a single serving of alcohol. Even so, maybe this isn’t the mocha you want to take with you on your morning “L” commute. Or, considering the depth of our dark, national nightmare, maybe it is. Nevertheless, can you use chocolate syrup instead? Certainly, but the nuanced, rich flavor of this liqueur puts even the best commercial syrups to shame.
  6. You could pour your mocha over ice as soon as you’ve mixed it, but it will immediately melt a lot of the ice and dilute considerably. I think you’ll enjoy it more if it’s less diluted. So, you could experiment with making a double-strength mocha concentrate, and pour that warm over ice. But my let-it-sit-in-the-fridge method is easy and intuitive.

"Iced Mocha," from Make It Like a Man!

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Iced Mocha Royale

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor.

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49 thoughts on “Iced Mocha Royale

  1. I love Starbucks Iced Mochas, but the there’s only one in Sweden (Stockholm), so it’s not practical to pop up for an Iced Mocha. So your recipe is appreciated and will be tasted very soon. I really like the idea of using a chocolate liqueur, but unfortunately we can’t get it here. But, I do have a nice Swedish sweet cocoa powder I might try.
    Ron recently posted…Our Herb’n’ Garden & Trädgård färsk squash och ört pasta…

    • I’m sure you’ve got chocolates in Sweden that we’ve never even dreamed of here!

  2. To be fair, that particular liqueur is great on cardboard or just about anything else. I’ve got a lava cake recipe that uses it around here somewhere but we had to ban it as a controlled substance. That said, why I never thought of coffee is beyond me and I am in your debt.

    • I used to add coffee to most of the chocolate things I bake, because of the way it opens up the chocolate flavor. But my husband doesn’t like coffee – but LOVES chocolate – and he can detect even the most miniscule amounts of it in a chocolate context. I’ve even tried to be sneaky about it, but he can absolutely detect it even when I can’t.

  3. Sadly Jeff I can’t get into iced coffee. I’m a regular at Starbucks too though. I love my daily Americano. However, that’s not to say I wouldn’t give a homemade iced coffee a go. Especially with the fact you’ve put Chocolat Royal liqueur in it! Pinned this!

    • That’s interesting. I’m not quite sure how I got into iced coffee. I drink hot coffee all the time, and I prefer it to let it cool until it’s warm rather than hot. I’ve always liked it that way. This, of course, leads to drinking “cold” coffee by the time you get to the end of the cup, so I guess taking the next step – adding a few ice cubes – didn’t seem all that far fetched to me. Of course, this all happened way before the dawn of cold brew, because I’m old-timey. Anyway, I guess I’m saying this because I can’t tell you how many weird looks and comments I’ve gotten from people over the years about drinking iced coffee. Like it’s unnatural or positive evidence that I’m an alien posing as a human. (Which I won’t deny, but iced coffee hardly proves it.)

  4. It really is surprising how easy it is to recreate coffee shop drinks at home. Sure, there’s the convenience of the drivethrough…but still. Add this one to the list! I’m not familiar with Chocolat Royal, but I do have Godiva chocolate liquor in the cabinet right now. I suspect this iced coffee could be on my radar soon. Sounds delicious, Jeff!
    David @ Spiced recently posted…Stuffed Italian Bread

  5. This reminds me of when I was a kid and went to Starbucks and got a frappacinno a few times. Those babies were tasty. But man, I don’t even know how old I was when I last had one!

  6. I love anything with the name royale. And now I must go get my hands on it. I love the Starbucks Mocha and have avoided it for years. It loved me too much! However making one would be grand (e) in my opinion!

    • I bought a cappuccino machine years ago, and justified the expense by claiming that I’d be able to give my once- or twice-a-day Starbucks habit (which adds up quickly). I haven’t given up Starbucks completely, but I’ve definitely cut it back to “once in a while.” And I love that cappuccino machine. I have one every morning. Fortunately, you don’t need any fancy equipment to make the type of iced mocha I’ve laid out here.

  7. I love the name of your blog!!!! I’m always looking for homemade versions of my favorite treats and this one fits the bill. I’m loving the addition of Chocolate Royal Liqueur

  8. What a great treat on a smoldering hot day! We love coffee but seldom go to Starbucks or any other coffee shop as we have a fabulous Jura coffee machine that does it all. Believe it or not, I’ve never even sampled one of their special coffees, they just seem too caloric for my enjoyment. I love the idea of making it at home, controlling some of the extra calories for my enjoyment. Funny enough, I don’t enjoy sugar in my hot coffee but as soon as it is an iced coffee, sugar it up, baby. The booze sounds like a great addition, particularly if it even makes cardboard taste awesome ;-)!
    Eva Taylor recently posted…Spring Green Gazpacho

    • I’m the same way: I drink hot coffee black, but iced coffee needs sugar. Personally, I haven’t tested this idea that Chocolat Royal might make cardboard taste good, but I have a feeling it’s true.

    • You’re welcome, John. I have a soft spot in my heart for hot, black coffee.

  9. Jeff it’s the perfect season for iced mocha, with all of this hot weather! Yours sounds particularly wonderful! I do like the idea of brown sugar in it, too, for a bit of a “toffee” sort of hint. This one sounds like it wouldn’t last long in my fridge!

  10. You make a good case for this great indulgence. I try to resist any drink that has calories — unless it also has alcohol. This eliminates the Starbucks versions, and keeps yours on the positive side.

    best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    • I had to look up Grape Nehi, but once I had, I realized that I’d heard of it! I didn’t grow up around coffee. My parents don’t drink it. I experimented in college, as they say, and liked it. And now I’m an addict. (Thanks for the follow, by the way – followed you back!)

  11. I think I’m the only person who doesn’t go to Starbuck’s. I have a Nespresso machine and it’s so satisfying that it’s all I need. But these definitely look fun – way better than a dessert to me! What is the syrup? I didn’t see a photo of it.
    Mimi recently posted…Pink Prosecco Margarita

    • Ah, a member of the resistance, eh? Good for you! I was spending way too much money at Starbucks, so I’m glad that I’m making more of my own coffee at home. They do make a great mocha, though. The syrup I used isn’t a syrup, actually, it’s a liqueur. Chocolat Royal.

    • I can attest to that. I drank a number of glasses this past sweltering July.

  12. This looks so tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try, I just hope it turns out great xD

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