Midnight Cocoa Protein Drink

Headnote

This is a composed chocolate protein drink of quiet intensity: clean on the palate, rounded in texture, and deliberately balanced. The cocoa brings depth, the milk proteins provide body, and the stabilizer and sunflower oil give the drink its smooth, unified finish. It should drink like a refined cold chocolate cream, never thin, never heavy.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Protein drink

Cuisine or origin: Contemporary

Course type: Beverage

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 330 g

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Digital scale

Blender

Fine mesh strainer

Chilled serving glass, 350 g capacity

Ingredients

Base

Water, 248 g

Milk protein concentrate, 40 g

Cocoa powder, 18 g

Sunflower oil, 6 g

Stabilizer, 1 g

Flavoring, 2 g

Sweetener, 3 g

Mineral blend, 6 g

Vitamin blend, 6 g

Method

1. Place the water in the blender first. Add the milk protein concentrate, cocoa powder, stabilizer, sweetener, mineral blend, and vitamin blend. Blend on medium speed for 20 seconds, then on high speed for 30 seconds, until the mixture is fully dispersed and no dry particles remain visible.

2. With the blender running on low speed, stream in the sunflower oil over 10 seconds. Increase to high speed and blend for 20 seconds more. The drink should appear glossy, uniform, and lightly aerated, with a fine, even body.

3. Pass the drink through a fine mesh strainer into the chilled serving glass. Add the flavoring to the strained drink and stir gently for 5 seconds until integrated. The finished texture should be smooth and cohesive, with a clean chocolate aroma and no graininess.

4. Chill the drink for 2 minutes before serving if a colder service is desired. The final beverage should pour with moderate viscosity and hold a soft, creamy line in the glass.

Plating and serving

Serve in a chilled glass without garnish. Present the drink level and composed, with a dense chocolate color and a satin surface. The ideal experience is immediate: cool, smooth, and precisely balanced.

Professional notes

The water must be cold to preserve a clean finish and prevent clumping. Add the oil only after the dry ingredients are fully dispersed, or the texture will lose its unity. The drink should finish with body, not heaviness, and the cocoa should remain measured rather than bitter.