Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between hot chocolate and Mexican hot chocolate? ›

Mexican hot chocolate contains spices like cinnamon and chili and chopped bittersweet chocolate to create a very rich but less sweet flavor. Whereas traditional American hot chocolate is usually made with a combination of cocoa powder and/or chocolate and tends to be more on the sweet side.

The Aztecs used a Molinillo, which is a Mexican wooden whisk, to froth hot chocolate and other drinks such as atoles.

Mexican hot chocolate's story begins with the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, where cacao was highly valued and used in various ceremonies. The Aztecs and Mayans consumed a bitter, frothy drink called "xocoatl," made from ground cacao beans, water, and spices.

The most significant difference is in the ingredients. Mexican hot chocolate uses various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper.

It has a noticeably grainy texture because it's processed only to the “liquor” stage, before it's poured into the disk-shaped molds to cool and harden. Classically, it's flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. To make the drink, this solid chocolate is broken into pieces, then just melted into a pot of hot milk.

For generations, Nestlé Abuelita Authentic Mexican Style Hot Chocolate Mix has been an essential part of the Hispanic kitchen. Its perfect balance of cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon gives it a distinctively delicious “calor de hogar” taste.

Mayans worshipped xocolatl (or bitter water) made with crushed cocoa, cornmeal and chilli pepper.

Replace the Mexican chocolate called for in your recipe with an equal amount of semisweet chocolate or cocoa powder. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and, if you like, a drop of almond extract for every ounce of chocolate.

The first chocolate drink is believed to have been created at least 5,300 years starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador and later consumed by the Maya around 2,500–3,000 years ago. A cocoa drink was an essential part of Aztec culture by 1400 AD, by which they referred to as xocōlātl.

What are 5 facts about hot chocolate? ›

Mexicans traditionally whip their hot chocolate into a froth with the help of a tool known as a molinillo. It's also believed that the addition of almonds helps Mexican style hot chocolate achieve this texture.

Mexican chocolate presents a rich flavor with a pronounced cocoa foundation, enhanced by sweet cinnamon and a hint of floral vanilla. The occasional addition of chili peppers adds a subtle warmth, creating a complex taste profile.

“Price increases of critical raw materials for the pastry and bakery sector started a few years ago with the scarcity of milk in Europe, which influenced the price of butter and cream and was compounded by the increase in import duties. The recent increase in cocoa prices is the continuation of the trend.

It Started in Mexico

As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers (as well as other ingredients)—a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today.

We don't exactly know how, but spicing up hot chocolate with things like a cinnamon stick and some cayenne pepper became the norm. Some historians believe the Aztecs liked bold flavors, so the kick that the spicy tinge added was probably a bonus.

The source of the chocolate flavour is different. Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.