It's almost time to welcome the new year and get your list of resolutions ready. What will you be aiming for in the new year? Whether it's new workout regiments or hobbies to pick up, we've got creative additions to your coffee routine covered, so that your kitchen can become your favorite coffee shop. 

Resolutions are all about trying something new, or doing something different than you were doing before, so why not a new recipe for your espresso maker? You can find a visual walk-through here, as we brew through the simple steps below to fill your home with white chocolate and cocoa aromas. 

The ingredients below are what you'll need for this celebratory black and white mocha (think like a tuxedo, for those year-end parties we can't wait to get back to). It's easy and quick to make, nor does it require too many special items you won't already find in your kitchen.

Recipe

• 2 shots of espresso or ½ cup brewed coffee 
• 1 cup steamed milk 
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 oz white chocolate syrup 
• ½ tsp vanilla syrup 
• Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1) Mix the cocoa powder, vanilla syrup, and white chocolate syrup together in a coffee cup. 

2) If not already ground, prepare fresh coffee beans with a grinder. 

3) Once you have your ground coffee beans, you must tamp the coffee with a tamper (this essentially levels the coffee grounds for extraction). A dosing ring is recommended to make the process easier. 

4) Shake and smooth out the grounds as necessary until they are ready for extraction, pressing them tightly with the dosing ring. 

*You can also use the middle of your palm to flatten the ground beans. Flattening the grounds is important so that you don’t experience channeling (water not draining properly) when your espresso is being extracted. 

5) For extraction of the espresso shot, apply the Leverpresso head/levers on top of the stand with your tucked grounds. 

Pour hot water in the Leverpresso with the levers down. Once you raise them up, you must fill more water to the top. 

Pull down the levers and watch your shot pour! The ideal duration for pulling shots is around 30 seconds, so you're going to want to consistently press down for that amount of time. 

*You don’t have to push down the levers too hard or all at once. It is best to push down gently, bending over naturally with your shoulders, so that you don’t injure yourself. Pushing down with the levers should enable you to create standard 9 bar pressure (nine times the weight of the pressure at sea level), for ideal extraction. 

6) Steam milk with a milk steamer, or you can also heat a cup of milk over the stove until it simmers to add to your drink. Heating it up in the microwave is also a convenient option, but it won't taste the same as heating it up with a steamer or range. 

7) Mix all the ingredients (cocoa powder, espresso, syrups, steamed milk) together in a coffee mug. 

8) If you’re craving something extra sweet, apply additional toppings or whipped cream as needed.

This is an intuitive recipe to toast to a new year with and warm you up as you celebrate with loved ones. If you're curious about further recipes possible with the Leverpresso, you can find instructions for a festive mint mocha, or get some ideas about holiday beverages drank around the world. 

Wishing you a safe and happy new year! 

From,

Hugh Inc.