Chocolate Almond Cafe Au Lait
One of life’s great ironies is that just when you need coffee the most, you’re too tired to make it. Like when you’re a new parent and sleeping no more than 45 minutes at a time… that is when you need coffee! But I tried it once and ended up putting the milk away in the cupboard instead of the fridge.
(On the bright side: I didn’t try to grind the coffee beans without putting the lid on the grinder, which is what my husband did the next day. 
)
Then this past week, a miracle happened. Our baby boy started sleeping for three – sometimes four! – hours at a time at night. Those of you who don’t have children and are spoiled by seven, eight or even nine hours of uninterrupted sleep at night won’t appreciate the truly celestial nature of this change, but trust me, the heavens parted and angels started singing the first time I woke up at 5:30AM and realized I’d been asleep for four whole hours. Yippee!
So anyways, I started making coffee again this week. Coffee is probably my favorite drink in the entire universe.
Isn't this a pretty mug? It's by Bill Campbell. (Click on the photo for his website)
I started off simple, with plain coffee, milk and sugar – no need to be too ambitious! Then I started making honey-vanilla lattes… and today, I came up with a new coffee recipe. Can you believe it? I haven’t done that since 2008. This particular recipe for Chocolate Almond Cafe Au Lait is made with Dagoba milk chocolate, almond extract and whipped cream. Most mornings I’ll probably have a cup of regular coffee but it is nice to indulge in a fancy concoction now and then, don’t you think?
Chocolate Almond Cafe Au Lait (My Recipe)
Ingredients: Serves 1
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 oz Dagoba milk chocolate (or any other good quality chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
- A smidgen of almond extract (I used my smidgen measuring spoon – yes, there is one! – which translates to two or three drops)
- Freshly brewed coffee, about 1 cup
- Whipped cream
In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the chocolate and whole milk. Stirring constantly, heat until the chocolate has melted completely and has fully combined with the milk.
Pour chocolate milk into a large coffee mug and add a smidgen of almond extract (a few drops, depending on how strong you want the almond flavor to be). Stir in your sugar and coffee. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
57 Responses to “Chocolate Almond Cafe Au Lait”
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I applaud you. I DO NOT have the time or energy to make more than a regular cup of coffee, and I don’t even make it most days…. the husband does.
And we like that book, too! We read it every time we go to the library to hang out.
Your kiddo has good taste!
That’s his favorite book so far. I think he likes all the funny noises.
That mug is awesome, and I think I even know how to duplicate the glaze on it. I just switched out of Graphic Design to Ceramics, so I find myself noticing pottery more. The coffee sounds tasty, too, if I can get over that wee phobia of wondering if I’m slowly being poisoned whenever I eat something almond flavored. Yes, I can be neurotic
Enjoy the sleep for as long as it lasts!
That is so cool! The mug is by Bill Campbell, in case that info is helpful. I added a link to the 2nd photo so you can check out his gallery.
Delish!!!!!! I’m glad you posted this.
I’m glad you’re glad.
Brave mamma… Really appriciate yr passion…coffee looks gr8…hmm want a cuppa now!
Thank you Arthi.
A gorgeous café au lait and a cute video!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you Rosa!
I remember those kind of days. I hate to say it, but I swear it took me years to recover from losing so much sleep. Of course, I had two kids in 1 1/2 years. It felt like it’d never end! But, how can you resist that cute little face. Loved the video!
Oh, loved the coffee recipe too!
Oh my goodness that must have been tough! How many months apart are your kiddos?
I am trying not to think about recovering my lost sleep… I don’t think it will happen til we’re done having kids and they are sleepy teenagers!
love this mug and recipe! hope you get more zz’s in the coming days.
Me too.
I’m saving this recipe for when I’m in the same boat. Won’t be too long now!
So exciting! And yes, stock up on easy – EASY – recipes, both for food and coffee. And don’t forget the delivery menus! I barely cooked at all the first few weeks.
Hi Ari,
Wow, I haven’t been on your site for such a long time, it looks amazing!! This is probably b/c both of my kids are at this moment asleep and my husband is of skiing and I am all alone!! Yikes… but for now I have time for myself
And that means looking at my favourite sites and catching up on my shows 
Your coffee recipe looks amazing!! And so delicious, thanks for sharing.
I must tell you that after Mercedes was born, and being oh so tired we got an espresso machine. And not a fancy one that you can mix all those fantastic worldly coffees but ones that are super easy, coffee in seconds, no grinding required. I highly recommend it to all my friends who have little kids and babies.
Check out their website. It is my life saver!!! http://www.nespresso.com
I was eyeing an espresso machine at Williams Sonoma the other day. Coffee in seconds sounds amazing.
I`ll make this today!
Hope you liked it!
things that brighten my day: coffee (in any form) and pictures of adorable babies. great post, ari!
Your comment brightened my day Grace!
That mug is stunning! I must get my hands wrapped around one soon.
This recipe is divine and a perfect excuse to use my French press. Be still my heart, that video is adorable, especially when the doggy nose sneaks in.
I love this mug too, it’s my current fav. I linked to the guy who made it in the post!
I will have to keep that in mind. Life is just not quite the same now that I’ve switched to decaf, but at least I can still make fancy coffee drinks that way!
Fancy coffee drinks can definitely be made with decaf.
The coffee looks awesome and the baby is gorgeous. Loved the slow smile as the story unfolds!
He is the king of slow smiles. He makes you work for it!
OMG! We have the same book (actually we have every Sandra Boynton book) and our dogs do the SAME thing every time we read it! Too cute!
I love her books. They are fun and have nice rhythm, if that makes any sense.
The coffee looks delish. Thanks for sharing the recipe
My pleasure.
Cute video! Have you read SB’s MOO BAA LA LA LA. That’s another cute one!
We haven’t read that one yet but I’m going to go check it out right now. Thanks for the recommendation.
Wow the picture looks great. I bet the cup is delish too. I can’t make something like that but you inspire me to try it.
Yes you can, it’s very easy to make drinks like this. Try it, you’ll see.
This looks truly divine. Nothing is as good as cream in your coffee…. except maybe Baileys Irish Cream in your coffeee…
Ha. I like the way you think.
I am not a coffee person. However I do adore chocolate. Such a conundrum
I get it. I didn’t drink coffee until grad school and then sleep deprivation got me… little did I know, I had NO IDEA what sleep deprivation was until I had a baby.
I LOVE coffee drinks. This one sounds really delicious! Congrats on getting a few consecutive hours of sleep. It is so wonderful when you hit that stage!
Sure it. I feel like a new woman, lol.
I love coffee!!! But I haven’t had any since I got pregnant…now I’m nursing and fear that any little caffeine that sneaks into my milk might keep the bebe up! I’ve been too scared to try because, well, as you know, less sleep for the bebe means less sleep for me!
Sorely in need of some good coffee though!
I so so hear you on the 4 hours of sleep…when that happened to me it was like I suddenly had loads of energy!
I understand. I find that if I have one coffee drink right after nursing it doesn’t affect the baby. But if I drink more than that or do it before feeding him then we suffer the consequences!
And who knew 4 hours could feel so GOOD?
Coffee is my most favourite drink in the universe too & I love the ceramic mug…it’s beautiful and just right for the coffee! Your little fella’s CUTE!!
I love coffee anything! Always on the look out for variations
Congratulations on being able to sleep 
Now I want coffee!
Your baby boy is so gorgeous!!!
This looks warm and delicious. I love almonds and this seems like a good mate for them.
This sounds SOO soothing and delightful!
Now I need a coffee fix, looks delicious!
Just came a across your blog today on networked blogs and I am glad I did. Don’t like coffee, but I am going to have a browse through your other posts. Loved the video, your little boy is very cute
Oh, my, goodness…. there should be a warning with that video…I’m sorry I didn’t hear a thing over my dogs barking…..they went nuts. Too cute….and that mug looks absolutely perfect for a rainy day like today. Thank you.
Congratulations on extended periods of sleep. I have my usual cup-of in the morning and then at night we cap off dinner with espresso. Oh, coffee. It’s a beautiful thing.
I can so relate to this post! My little daughter (now 16 months old) was a tiny baby and nursed around the clock every 2 hours for six months! On top of that, I always had night duty all alone because of my husband working third. Even from six months to a year, she woke up at least four or five times a night. It can be so hard, but “mommy adrenaline” is an amazing thing. So is caffeine! And she is so very worth it, as is your precious, adorable son. God bless him. Congratulations!
Hi Ari! Just letting you know that you’ve been given an award! Stop by http://www.v-files.net/sexfoodandrock/2010/05/fried-apples/ to claim it.
Just wanted to tell you I miss your posts. I understand you are busy, really I understand, but thought I’d let you know you are missed.
Yeah, you’re back!!!!! Girl, I am sooooo glad you are back!!! Everyday I would log on the computer and check your site and hope for you to be back on. Although my kids are now kinda of grown up, (18 & 20) I do remember what it was like those first few months. Parenting is hard enough when you do have emotional support from family and I can only imagine what you must have gone through without it. They don’t know what they’re missing!! Well, your blogging community loves you and are glad to know you are back. Hugs and kisses for your little one and blessings for your whole family.