Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Drink

Headnote

This is a restrained, polished protein drink built for clarity of flavor and balance. Chocolate provides depth, hazelnut lends warmth, and the dairy base carries both with a clean, rounded finish. It is designed to drink cold, with a smooth body and a precise sweetness that never turns heavy.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Protein drink

Cuisine or origin: Contemporary Nordic

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

Small saucepan

Whisk

Fine-mesh sieve

Jug or shaker

Chilled serving glass

Ingredients

Base

Milk, 210 g

Water, 75 g

Milk protein, 30 g

Cocoa, 8 g

Hazelnut flavoring, 2 g

Stabilizer, 1 g

Sweetener, 3 g

Vitamin D, 0.001 g

Salt, 0.999 g

Method

1. Combine the milk and water in a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 2 minutes, just until the mixture is fluid and slightly warm, not hot.

2. Whisk in the milk protein, cocoa, hazelnut flavoring, stabilizer, sweetener, vitamin D, and salt. Continue whisking for 1 minute until fully dispersed and the mixture appears smooth and uniform.

3. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug to remove any remaining particles. The liquid should be glossy, even, and free of visible lumps.

4. Chill the drink for 2 to 3 minutes, or serve immediately over ice if preferred. The texture should remain light yet creamy, with a clean chocolate aroma and a distinct hazelnut finish.

Plating and serving

Pour into a chilled glass and serve at once. The drink should present as smooth and dark, with a fine, even body and a restrained sheen.

Professional notes

The drink must be mixed thoroughly enough to fully hydrate the protein and stabilizer; any haste will leave a chalky finish. Keep the liquid cold or only barely warm, as excessive heat will dull the cocoa and flatten the hazelnut note. The final texture should be silky, not thick, with a clean finish and no sediment.