Mexican Hot Chocolate

Before you start

Mexican hot chocolate is traditionally made from tablets of stone-ground chocolate mixed with sugar and cinnamon, melted into hot milk or water and beaten until foamy with a wooden whisk called a molinillo. Stone-ground chocolate has a rustic, slightly gritty texture, and the cinnamon, sometimes with almond or vanilla, gives the drink its warm, recognizable aroma. Many home versions add a pinch of chili for gentle heat.

This recipe gives two routes. If you have Mexican tablet chocolate, melt it with a cinnamon stick in milk. If not, a from-scratch blend of dark chocolate, cocoa, sugar and ground cinnamon gets close, with a smoother texture. Either way, the foam is part of the drink: whisk hard, roll a molinillo between your palms, or use a blender to raise a frothy top just before serving.

Ingredients

• With tablet chocolate90 g (3 oz) Mexican chocolate tablet — about one disc, roughly chopped
• From scratch60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao) — chopped
• 1 tbsp (about 6 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar — or piloncillo, grated
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Both480 ml (2 cups) whole milk — or half milk and half water
• 1 cinnamon stick — Ceylon cinnamon is traditional
• 1 small pinch ground chili, such as ancho or cayenne — optional
• 1 pinch fine salt

Method

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the cinnamon stick, and warm over medium-low heat until it steams and small bubbles appear at the edge, about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
2. With tablet chocolate: add the chopped tablet and stir until it dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. The tablet contains sugar and cinnamon, so taste before adding anything else.
3. From scratch: whisk the cocoa, sugar, ground cinnamon and salt into the hot milk, then add the chopped dark chocolate and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the chili and salt if not already used. Simmer very gently for 1 minute, whisking, to let the spices bloom. Remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Froth it: roll a molinillo briskly between your palms in the pan, whisk hard for 30 seconds, or blend with an immersion blender held fully under the surface until foamy.
6. Pour into warm mugs, spooning the foam on top, and serve right away.

Tips for success

• Add chili in tiny amounts. Its heat builds as you drink, and it should be a warm finish, not a burn.
• Tablet chocolate stays slightly grainy by nature. If you prefer a perfectly smooth cup, blend it or use the from-scratch route.
• Ceylon cinnamon is mild and floral; cassia is stronger and spicier. With cassia, use half a stick.

Substitutions

Whole milk

Water is used in many traditional preparations and gives a lighter drink with more chocolate intensity. Almond milk adds a nutty note that suits the cinnamon.

Sugar

Piloncillo, an unrefined cane sugar, adds caramel and molasses notes. Dark brown sugar is the closest common swap.

Ground chili

A drop of vanilla extract and a little almond extract make a mild version without heat.

Variations

Coffee version

Replace 120 ml of the milk with strong brewed coffee for a spiced mocha.

Iced Mexican chocolate

Cool the drink fully, then blend with ice and pour into tall glasses.

Troubleshooting

The drink is gritty

Stone-ground tablets do not dissolve fully. Simmer a little longer and blend it, or strain through a fine sieve.

It is too sweet

Tablet chocolate is pre-sweetened. Add 15 to 20 g of unsweetened dark chocolate or a tablespoon of cocoa to balance it.

The foam disappears quickly

Froth just before pouring and serve at once. Whole milk holds foam better than water or low-fat milk.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat gently and froth again before serving.

Safety notes

Some Mexican chocolate tablets contain almonds or are processed with nuts, and the drink contains dairy. Check the label when serving guests with allergies.