Bicerin is one of the most heavenly drinks you will ever have the pleasure of sipping! It warms, it wakes and it lulls, all in equal measure. And Turin, in Italy, is home to Bicerin, one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Unless you’ve been to Turin, chances are, you’ve never had, or perhaps, never even heard of, Bicerin, a hot, luscious drink of espresso, chocolate and milk or cream.
While you’ll find it served everywhere in Turin, Bicerin has actually got a home! It is said to have been invented in the late 18th century at Caffe al Bicerin, a small and cosy establishment at the Piazza della Consolata. And this is how Bicerin is said to have come about – there were three variations of coffee served to customers in the early days: coffee with milk, coffee with chocolate and a little bit of everything. The last drink, a little coffee, chocolate and milk, ended up being the most popular, and
il resto, è storia! (The rest is history!)
Caffe al Bicerin has seen many famous faces walk through its historic doors; Alexandre Dumas and Puccini are just two of its more distinguished clientele. I’m sure, however, they didn’t pay the equivalent of €7 – €8 that you’ll have to cough up for a glass of Bicerin these days, a rather steep price, but I suppose you’re paying not just for the coffee, but also the experience.
Bicerin Pronunciation
The word “bicerin” means small glass, in Piedmontese.
Bicerin – pronounced Bi – Cheh – Reen
Piedmontese – the language spoken by many locals in Piedmont, a region in north west Italy. Turin is its capital.
The picture below shows you a shot glass of Bicerin, something I love serving up to my clients, as a surprise. Isn’t it cute?
How to Make Bicerin at Home
Until you get to Turin, you’ll just have to make it for yourself!
For a start, Bicerin is always served in a glass.
The chocolate that Bicerin is made with is very dark and very thick. The coffee is strong and dark, fresh espresso is always best, whether you make it using a coffee machine, in a moka pot or in a cafetière. And you also want fresh, frothy milk or cream, my preference is for double or heavy cream, lightly whipped. So want to make Bicerin at home? Start right as mentioned above!
I recently posted a recipe for Cioccolata Calda, Italian Hot Chocolate (image below), and that is what I always use to make Bicerin. I make both drinks so often that it’s practically second nature to me, the chocolate takes 5 minutes while the coffee is brewing, then it’s less than a minute of bringing it all together.
Cioccolata Calda
When I make Bicerin for guests or clients, I pour the hot chocolate over the back of a spoon to create a layer. You can do that or not, that’s completely up to you. In Turin, more often than not, the hot chocolate is just poured over the coffee and gets mixed up into one very dark, homogenous mix, before being topped with cream or frothy milk.
So there you have it, forget the mocha, the latte, the cappuccino, because now you know Bicerin! For more drink recipes, be sure to check out the Drinks Page!
Lin xx
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Bicerin, Turin’s Coffee and Chocolate Hot Drink
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Bicerin recipe, one of Italy’s best kept secrets.
Ingredients
- 4 shots of espresso
- 1 portion cioccolata calda
- 125ml (half a cup) fresh cream, lightly whipped, sweetened or not, up to you
Instructions
- Divide the espresso between 2 glasses.
- Top with the hot chocolate, divided equally.
- Finish off with the cream. Serve immediately.
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
This sounds absolutely delicious. I just watched a programme on the Piemontese cuisine and – of course – Bicerin was included. In a café in Turin they poured the very thick, rich chocolate into the glass first, then the coffee, and then on top, the frothy milk. In your recipe the espresso comes first, followed by the chocolate. My understanding of physics tells me that I would do it the other way round, like the man in the Turin café, as the chocolate is denser and thus heavier than the coffee. That way, the barista managed to produce a wonderfully layered tri-colour drink. What do you think?
Hi Ollie, that makes perfect sense! I’ve been to Turin so many times, and have had Bicerin served in so many different ways, layered and all stirred in. I can only think that I’m doing it this way because MAYBE that’s how I saw it being done first, who knows!
someone please come and make this for me. i could use a few glasses.
Haha, I totally get that!
Looks amazing – Thanks so much for sharing!! Yum!
I’m not a coffee drink but I love hot chocolate. I’ll have to give this a try!
I have never heard of this drink but it looks amazing! I am going to have to try it ASAP !!
Wow this looks like my kind of drink! I love this combination! Never would’ve thought of that, can’t wait to try it!
That looks absolutely delicious. I think I need to try this before a chocolate martini.
Thank you, perhaps one after another?
Ahhhh! I’ve never heard of this. It looks delicious. I’m a huge coffee lover, and I need to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you Amanda!
I am not a coffee drinker but I am all about hot chocolate. Sounds like a nice warming drink!
It certainly is!
Those pictures are really inviting. Hahaha. Coffee is not my thing but I would definitely give it a try since I’m doing night shift at work. I think this one will help. Thank you. 🙂
The chocolate and coffee should do the trick!
I have never heard of this before but it sounds delicious! We love coffee and trying new ways to enjoy it.
Chocolate coffee is always delicious! These pictures had me craving coffee so bad. This was a fantastic read.
Thank you Sondra!
The drink looks heavenly! Thanks for the recipe!
SINCERELY OPHELIA
A pleasure, thanks for stopping by.
Yummmm!! That sounds delicious. Chocolate is just about the only way I’ll drink coffee 🙂
Lol, that’s a funny line!
Bicerin looks divine. I’ve been all over Italy, just passing through Turin. This summer, I’ll have to check it out for sure.
Fab, have a great time!
I love coffe and that Bicerin seems so yummy and delicious! I’ll try to make it at home thanks to your recipe for sure!
Thank you!
Thats super delicious.. and i am in love with the first pic..looks like a pic from a food magazine..amazing!!
Thank you Shubha! I must confess, I love that picture too!
This sounds so yummy. I love coffee with chocolate. I am going to have to try this.
Thank you, let me know how it goes!
Hey cara, it’s me again, the Italian living in London! I’ve been waiting for your Bicerin post, I love it! Showed it to my mum in Torino and she said to tell you “Brava”!
Tell your mama, grazie mille! And to you too, I appreciate you taking the time.