Mornings are getting chilly here and yesterday in place of a cafecito, I decided to try making hot chocolate from scratch after remembering the delicious batch my first Spanish teacher once cooked up right in the middle of class so many years ago. In the United States we’re so accustomed to ripping open a packet of powder and adding heated water for a cup of hot cocoa, but once you sip this hot chocolate, made from real cocoa and milk, you’ll never want to go back.
Mayan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 teaspoon baking cocoa
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
dash of ground cinnamon, (more to taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Method:
1. Heat milk for 2 minutes on regular heat in microwave or warm on stove until hot but not simmering.
2. Add sugar, salt and cocoa. Stir until dissolved.
3. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Makes 2 servings.
Note: In place of ground cinnamon or for added cinnamon flavor, you can add one or two cinnamon sticks to the milk while heating.
