Hot Chocolate Mexican Style

Here in Chicago the cold weather has arrived and my children love it when I treat them to a delicious and traditional hot chocolate on cold afternoons, just as we used to prepare it in Mexico.

At my father’s house they always bought Abuelita or Ibarra chocolate bars. And my mom taught me a secret to take Mexican hot chocolate to a whole new level of flavor. add evaporated milk. Although at this time of the year a delicious atole doesn’t go amiss either, does it?

If you cannot find chocolate bars, you can use cocoa and sugar to create your own mixture. Only if you use cocoa it is necessary to dilute it in the milk before it is hot.

Evaporated milk brings more creaminess to hot chocolate and turns it into a cocoa drink worthy of gods. This recipe can be prepared with any vegetable milk such as almond, coconut or soy milk, but the truth is that in these special family moments I prefer to prepare it with cow’s milk, although at home we traditionally use almond milk.

Ingredients

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 4 cups of milk
• 1 1/2 tablets of Mexican chocolate. I usually buy Abuelita Chocolate.

With these ingredients you will have enough for about 5 cups of delicious, frothy hot chocolate.

How to prepare hot chocolate

Step 1: Place the evaporated milk and cow’s milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 2: Add the cinnamon stick and the chocolate bars.

Step 3: Stir from time to time as the milk heats up so that the chocolate bars melt and integrate. Stir from time to time while boiling so you don’t spill the milk.

Step 4: Once boiling, change the flame temperature to low heat and continue stirring for about ten minutes.

Step 5: With a grinder or a hand blender, mix to get the hot chocolate frothy and ready to enjoy!

If you’re ready for hot beverages, take a look at this guava atole.

How to make foam for hot chocolate

• The foam is achieved by whisking the chocolate-milk mixture. In Mexico, a wooden device called a molinillo is used, which consists of several wooden rings that allow air to be integrated into the chocolate mixture to create the foam and achieve a frothy hot chocolate.

• A simpler and more modern technique is to use a hand blender to create the foam.

What can be added to hot chocolate?

• Whipped cream: Top your hot chocolate with a dollop of spiced whipped cream for an extra layer of flavor. Simply whip some heavy cream with a touch of cinnamon and sugar until soft peaks form. Pour it over your hot chocolate and watch it melt into a creamy custard.
• Bonbons or marshmallows: In true American style, add a few small pieces of marshmallow on top of your hot chocolate and allow them to melt to enjoy the full flavor of hot chocolate on cold days.
• Cinnamon: when it comes to accentuating sweet flavors, there is nothing like cinnamon. Add a little ground cinnamon on top of your chocolate mousse and you will see how delicious it is.

Where can I find Mexican bar chocolate?

Here in the United States it is already very easy to find Mexican style chocolate bars in a wide variety of super markets. Look in the Hispanic products area of your super market. Here in Chicago I easily find them at:

• Walmart
• Food4Less
• Tony’s
• Super Mercados El Guero
• Jimenez Butcher Shop

I assure you that you will surprise your family with this delicious and authentic Mexican hot chocolate recipe. The hot chocolate can be accompanied with cookies or sweet bread such as conchas or pan de muerto to celebrate in front of your altar or later in front of the Christmas tree.

These delicious recipes are also perfect with a good chocolatito.

• Oatmeal raisin cookies
• Walnut cookies
• Oatmeal Brownies
• Chocolate Atole
• Buñuelos