Coffee Bicherin: concept and classic recipe

The recipe for the bicherin coffee drink was invented in the Italian city of Turin. Coffee is a sweet drink made from strong espresso, heavy cream, and dark chocolate. Let's find out in detail how to prepare bicherin at home.

Traditional in Turin is the delicious bicerin coffee. The Turin people were the first to prepare it back in the eighteenth century. The drink contains three ingredients: espresso, whipped cream, hot chocolate. To make it aesthetically pleasing, it is most often served in cafes in special glasses with a low stem. Thanks to this, it is immediately noticeable that it is divided into three layers. You need to savor it gradually and slowly. First, feel the pleasant taste of cream, then taste hot black coffee and finally enjoy the dark chocolate that lies at the bottom of the glass.

History of Bicherin

In the second half of the 18th century, in the main city of Piedmont, Turin, which at that time was the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, there lived a lemonade merchant, Giuseppe Dentis. Having saved money, in 1763 he opened his own cafe.

Signor Dentis chose the place for the establishment opposite the Church of Santa Consolata, in such a way that wealthy Turin townspeople, tired of the mass, would come to the cafe to relax and drink a cup of coffee.

In those days, in wealthy Piedmontese families, it was customary to drink bavareisa in the morning - a mixture of coffee, cream and hot chocolate, sweetened with molasses. Signor Dentis experimented for a long time and came to the conclusion that bavareise would look much more impressive if it was not stirred, but poured into a transparent glass in layers.

At Giuseppe Dentis's cafe they prepared three versions of bavareise:

pur e fiur – coffee with milk, reminiscent of a modern cappuccino;
pur e barba – coffee with chocolate;
un pòch ed tut (“a little bit of everything”) – coffee with hot chocolate and cream.

The third option was the most popular among the local public. The drink was served hot, in glass glasses with coasters. This glassware is called bicherino (“glass”) in the Piedmontese dialect. This is how the name “bicherin” was born.

Soon the people of Turin fell in love with Bicerin so much that the cafe received the name Al Bicerin. In the 18th century, bicerin became a signature Turin drink, served in all coffee shops. True, the dosage of ingredients was different; the correct proportions are still known only to the owners of the Al Bicerin cafe.

Al Bicerin coffee is still valid today

The establishment successfully survived the era of the Napoleonic Wars, and in the mid-19th century it became the most popular cafe in Turin. It is known that Count di Cavour himself, the first prime minister of a united Italy, loved to be here. Alexandre Dumas, Giacomo Puccini, and Friedrich Nietzsche also admitted their addiction to bicherin. “Bella Rosin”, Rosa Vercellana, the beloved and morganatic wife of King Victor Emmanuel II, also had a weakness for bicherin.

In the 19th century, it was considered unacceptable for a decent lady to go into a cafe alone, without a man accompanying her. But Al Bicerin was very conveniently located next to the church, and gradually wealthy parishioners began to visit the cafe to gossip with their friends over a cup of hot Bicerin coffee and a bowl of macaroons. Such a pastime did not go beyond the bounds of decency, since since the 19th century, the owners of Al Bicerin were women.

In the 20th century, the cafe was owned by ladies from the Cavalli family: Signora Ida and her daughter Olga. In 1983, the establishment was inherited by Marite Costa, through whose efforts it gained worldwide fame. Signora Costa restored the interior of the premises and introduced into the menu traditional sweets that were served with bicerin coffee 100 years ago, including 14 types of Piedmontese shortbread.

Marite Costa made Al Bicerin cafe world famous

According to Gambero Rosso, in 2001 Al Bicerin was recognized as the best cafe in Italy. At the same time, bicherin was included in the list of “traditional products of Piedmont.” In 2010, Umberto Eco sang the unique atmosphere of the Al Bicerin cafe in his novel “Prague Cemetery”. After this, the popularity of bicherin in the world increased sharply. Now the Piedmontese drink can be tasted outside of Italy.

Coffee bicherin: what is it?

The cocktail was invented back in the 17th century in Turin (Northern Italy, Piedmont region). And for a long time it remained only a local variation of the coffee drink, until Alexander Dumas tried it in the 19th century and wrote about it in his works. In 2001, the Piedmont Bulletin recognized caffe bicerin as the official specialty drink of the region.

“Bicherin” means “glass”. This is a small portion of coffee with chocolate, which is brewed in any cafe in Piedmont.

Traditional bicherin consists of 3 layers:

Hot chocolate;
Espresso;
Whipped cream.

In order to enjoy the right taste, it is recommended not to mix the layers, but to drink them one at a time. First - the delicate smell and taste of chilled cream, then - a sip of hot, strong espresso, and only then - dark chocolate.

Advice: it is better not to add sugar to coffee, or, as a last resort, brew coffee with it, since it will be difficult to stir it in a glass without mixing the layers, otherwise the entire peculiarity of bicherin coffee will be lost.

Ingredients for bicherin

In the café, bicherin is prepared using espresso. But at home, you can add any strong black coffee to the drink. The degree of grinding of the beans depends on the cooking method. If coffee is brewed in a Turkish coffee pot or prepared in a French press, the coffee base should be strained through a fine strainer before preparing the bicherin.

It is best to brew 100% Arabica or blends with no more than 10–15% Robusta added. There is no need for expensive single-origin Arabica beans, since the cream and chocolate will prevent you from properly experiencing the subtle notes of coffee taste and aroma. But mixtures with a high content of robusta are not suitable either: its bitterness does not harmonize well with cream.

Medium roast beans are preferred. With light roasting, the taste of coffee is not felt at all, and the combination of cream with dark roasted coffee is not for everyone.

To brew coffee, you need soft bottled water with a mineralization of 70–150 mg/l.

Choice of cream and milk

You often see a picture of a glass of bicherin topped with a tall dollop of whipped cream (usually artificial). It looks impressive, but this way of serving the drink is not entirely correct. Classic bicherin is supposed to be drunk, tasting cream, coffee and chocolate in turn. Cream whipped to stiff peaks will have to be eaten with a spoon.

Typically, cream of 30–40% fat content is used for the top layer. They are whipped to form a liquid foam that is convenient to drink (like Irish coffee). Sometimes milk is used instead of cream for the top layer, which slightly reduces the calorie content of the drink. In such cases, the milk should have 2.5–3% fat content, otherwise it will not froth well.

Milk is added to bicherin when melting chocolate in a water bath. It all depends on personal preferences: milk can be replaced with water, or diluted with cream of 10–20% fat content. The fat content of milk does not matter.

Choosing chocolate

In the classic bicherin coffee recipe, melted dark chocolate is poured into the bottom layer. But at home, you are allowed to experiment with flavors. White chocolate gives the drink a buttery flavor.

An interesting effect can be achieved if you use dark chocolate with praline, fruit or creamy fillings. Instead of chocolate, in Turin they sometimes add gianduja paste; at home it is replaced with Nutella.

The cream should be cooled before whipping, otherwise it will separate. The cream is whipped either before preparing the espresso, or while brewing the coffee if a slower method is used. To prevent the layers from mixing, pour the coffee and then the whipped cream over the blade of a knife. If you want to make the drink sweeter, it is better to add sugar to the coffee immediately after brewing.

BICHERIN IN “AL BICERIN”

The drink bicerin can be said to have a royal pedigree. He appeared in the heart of the Sardinian kingdom, in its capital - Turin. It was here that the Royal Court of Savoy issued the first license for the production of liquid chocolate in 1678. As a result, the drink bicherin appeared, which became traditional for Piedmont. By the way, the word “bicherin” in this area has a special pronunciation, something like “bitsherin”, which seems to become softer, as if corresponding to the taste of coffee diluted with cream...

Both the coffee and chocolate drink Bicherin and the cafe of the same name “AL BICERIN”, not least, gained historical fame thanks to the famous writers who visited here. For example, Alexandre Dumas and Umberto Eco.

“In the clothes of a Jesuit, enjoying the sensation created, I entered the Bicherin cafe near the Church of Consolation and picked up a brass glass holder, into which was inserted a glass of Bicherin - a wonderful mixture of milk, cocoa, coffee and aromatic spices. I didn’t know that Bicherin would soon become famous thanks to Alexandre Dumas...” Umberto Eco. “Prague Cemetery”

Of course, Turin cannot boast of an abundance of world art like Rome, Venice or Florence. But it holds the palm in another, being the unofficial capital of chocolate. In Turin, gourmet delicacies have become an integral part of the lives of city residents. The chocolate drink, dearly loved by the people of Turin, has been known here since the 16th century, and in the 18th century the recipe for bicherin was invented here, which became the pride and symbol of the city.

It is believed that bicerin was first prepared in the tiny cafe “Al Bicerin”, opened in 1763 near the Church of Consolation, one of the oldest in the city. It was the location of the cafe that played an important role in the colossal success of the drink. During Lent, believers flocked here in droves to drink hot bicherin after communion, since chocolate was not included in the list of fast foods.

“...This is a blessed establishment with a showcase in a cast iron frame, with inviting signs on the sides, with columns and capitals and carved panels, with mirrors and marble tables, with a counter behind which there are rows of colorful jars, and in them forty varieties of almond dragees absolutely indescribable smell... I loved sitting there all day long on Sunday..."

(Umberto Eco. “Prague Cemetery”).

This tiny cafe was the most democratic in the city, since representatives of various walks of life sat here “side by side”. Another factor in the popularity of the establishment is that the managers have traditionally been women since its founding. In the 18th century, coffee shops were exclusively male territory, and the presence of a female manager gave access to the cafe to other representatives of the fair sex. But, of course, the most important thing is the drink itself. Its “a little bit of everything” variety - bicherin made from three layers of chocolate, coffee and cream - has become the most popular. Fans of the chocolate drink were Alexandre Dumas Sr., Giacomo Puccini, Friedrich Nietzsche and millions of less famous Turin residents and guests of the city. In 2001, bicerin officially received the status of the national Piedmontese drink.

It is believed that the real recipe is strictly kept secret, but the main components of bicherin are publicly known: espresso, chocolate, cream. A possible confirmation of this could be the “heaviness” of the prepared drink. But here’s the strange thing: when bicherin is prepared in the “Bicherin” cafe, you don’t feel it at all. Maybe the ancient walls help the local baristos?

BICHERIN RECIPE

· Ingredients for two servings
· 250 ml milk
· 100g chocolate
· 100 ml espresso or black coffee
· Whipped cream

Grate the chocolate bar. Pour it into warm milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Beat the mixture for 1 minute. Brew black coffee. First pour hot chocolate into a transparent glass, then carefully pour a thin stream of coffee so that the layers do not mix. Add a layer of whipped cream on top.

Buon appetito!

Characteristics of bicherin

Bean varieties	100% Arabica or blend with 10–15% Robusta
Roasting degree	Medium (Viennese or slightly lighter)
Grinding	Depends on how the coffee base is prepared
Coffee base temperature	+70 ± 5 °C
Hot chocolate temperature	+60 ± 5 °C
Cream temperature	+10 ± 5 °C
Cooking time	7–10 minutes
Portion output volume, ml	200
Caffeine content (strength)	50–150 mg (per serving)
Recommended intake (servings per day)	1
Maximum permissible norm (servings per day)	2 (the drink is very high in calories)
Calorie content, kcal: low-calorie option (cocoa with sugar in the bottom layer and cream in the top);	290–313
low-calorie option (cocoa with sugar in the bottom layer and milk in the top);	174
with milk and dark chocolate in the bottom layer, cream in the top;	450–473
with milk and milk chocolate in the bottom layer, cream in the top;	447–470
with a mixture of milk, cream and dark chocolate in the bottom layer and cream in the top;	465–509
with a mixture of milk, cream and milk chocolate in the bottom layer and cream in the top;	462–507
with a mixture of milk, cream and dark chocolate in the bottom layer, sweetened coffee in the middle and cream in the top;	484–529
with a mixture of milk, cream and milk chocolate in the bottom layer, sweetened coffee in the middle and cream in the top;	481–526
with a mixture of milk, cream and dark chocolate in the bottom layer, sweetened coffee in the middle and sweetened cream in the top.	503–548

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Classic bicherin recipe

Ingredients:

50 ml espresso or black coffee brewed in another way;
50 ml milk (or 25 ml milk and 25 ml cream 10–20% fat);
50 g chocolate;
50 ml 30–40% cream.
chocolate chips, sugar - to taste.

Cooking technology

In a water bath, melt the chocolate in milk (or milk with 20% cream).
Beat 30–40% cream until liquid foam.
Brew coffee.
Pour hot chocolate into a heated glass.
Pour coffee over the blade of the knife.
Pour in whipped cream.
Decorate with chocolate shavings.

“Low-calorie” bicherin

Ingredients:

50 ml espresso or black coffee brewed in another way;
100 ml milk;
2–3 tsp. cocoa powder;
50 ml 30–40% cream;
sugar - to taste.

Recipe

Whip the cream.
Boil milk, brew cocoa (possibly with sugar).
Brew coffee.
Pour cocoa into a heated glass.
Pour coffee along the blade of the knife.
Pour in the cream.
To further reduce the calorie content of the drink, you can replace the cream with whipped milk.