Mexican Hot Chocolate
The ancient Aztecs were the first to make hot chocolate, but instead of milk, they used hot water and the drink was not sweetened. It wasn’t until the Spaniards in Colonial times that milk, cream, and sugar was added. They drank chocolate mixed with corn puree, or masa, which thickens it. Champurrado is a chocolate-based atole,* a warm and thick Mexican drink, prepared with Mexican chocolate, water, and milk, spiced with cinnamon sticks, anise, and sweetened with piloncillo (raw cane sugar), and thickened with masa harina. It is the ancient recipe updated with some milk.
*An atole is a Mexican drink that typically includes masa (corn hominy flour), water, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, vanilla, and optional chocolate or fruit puree. Guava is a popular flavor.
The recipes in the left column are modern recipes for Mexican Hot Chocolate. They are basically recipes for American hot chocolate made with milk, but with cinnamon added. The second recipe in the left column is made using Mexican chocolate. The recipe on the right uses primarily water, but with some milk and corn starch for thickener. It is the closest of the recipes to champurrado.
The two most popular brands of Mexican chocolate available in the U.S. are Ibarra and Nestle’s Abuelita. They are commonly found in large supermarkets and in Latin grocery stores.
Also see Ancient Mayan Hot Chocolate
Mexican Hot Chocolate (made with milk)
Courtesy Gale Gand, “Butter Sugar Flour Eggs” by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin, Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 1999
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1-ounce semisweet chocolate
3 drops vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for garnish
In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk, ground cinnamon and cinnamon stick until simmering. Add the chocolate and let melt.
Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Transfer to mugs and serve with whipped cream.
Mexican Hot Chocolate (made with milk)
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
3 ounces (tablet or cone) Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
Miniature marshmallows, for serving
6 cinnamon sticks (preferably Mexican canela), for serving
Using a sharp knife, break up the chocolate into smaller pieces. In a saucepan, combine the chopped chocolate, milk, sugar, and salt over medium-low flame. Heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and milk is very hot, but not boiling, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and froth the chocolate milk with a mini whisk or molinillo. Divide the hot chocolate among big mugs, top each with a few marshmallows, and serve with the cinnamon sticks as stirrers.
Mexican Hot Chocolate (made with water)
from https://muybuenoblog.com
My easy Mexican hot chocolate is similar to champurrado, but it isn’t flavored with anise or sweetened with piloncillo. Champurrado is a chocolate drink with a bold taste of corn from the masa harina (corn flour); the consistency is like that of a thin cream of wheat. This easy Mexican hot chocolate is less thick than champurrado, but can still coat the back of a spoon like a champ.
This easy Mexican Hot Chocolate will warm you up from the inside out. Made with canela (cinnamon sticks) steeped in water to infuse flavor, warmly spiced Mexican chocolate, and the milk of your choice, this cozy beverage is the perfect pick for sweater season.
For an adult version, try it spiked by adding a splash of Kahlua or peppermint schnapps for a rich, decadent, and boozy cocktail.
8 1/4 cups water, divided
3 cinnamon sticks
6 ounces Mexican chocolate
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup milk, whole or almond milk
Kahlua or Peppermint schnapps, optional
Bring 8 cups of water with cinnamon sticks to a boil; remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour.
Discard cinnamon sticks and return water to medium-low heat. Add Mexican chocolate stir until dissolved.
In a separate cup, dissolve corn starch in 1/4 cup of cold water. Stir to prevent clumps and add to pot, stirring as you pour it in.
Add the milk and let it come to a slow boil, being careful to turn off heat as soon as it boils. It will thicken a little and will be creamier with whole milk.
For an adult spiked hot chocolate, add a splash of Kahlua or peppermint schnapps for a rich, decadent, and boozy cocktail.
