21 Sinful Hot Chocolate Recipes You Have to Try (2024)

FAQs

What do the Mexicans believe about hot chocolate? ›

The Aztecs believed that chocolate was a gift from the gods and would only drink it on special occasions. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, they began to add sugar and milk to the chocolate to make it more palatable. This is how Mexican hot chocolate came to be.

In hot chocolate, the hot water or hot milk acts as the solvent that dissolves the cocoa powder, the solute.

Pour the Milk: Fill your chosen container with the amount of milk you want for your hot chocolate, but remember not to fill it to the brim. Microwave on Medium Power: Instead of blasting the milk on high, set your microwave to a medium power setting. This will warm the milk evenly without suddenly boiling it over.

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.

An ancient Toltec myth identifies Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god, as planter of the cacao trees in the tropics of southern Mexico. He was called "the god of light, the giver of the drink of the gods, chocolate." Both the Mayas and Aztecs regarded chocolate as a potent aphrodisiac.

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

Make sure to add the cacao powder before the water to prevent the cacao from clumping up.

Starbucks® Signature Hot Chocolate

Chocolate milk and dairy milk, steamed together to create a hot chocolate fit for a chocaholic!

Mocha coffee is extremely easy to make in this recipe for a simple coffee with chocolate. Just add cocoa, sugar, and milk to a hot cup of joe and enjoy in slow sips.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to use milk or water when making hot chocolate comes down to personal taste. While some people may prefer the creaminess that milk adds to their cup of cocoa, others might enjoy the lighter flavor provided by using water instead.

Is it OK to boil milk for hot chocolate? ›

Keeping the flame low and stirring constantly helps avoid boiling the milk, resulting in warm milk that's just right for hot chocolate.

Drinking Temperature: A study done by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas on calculating the optimum temperature for serving hot beverages, concluded that 136ºF (58ºC) is the ideal temperature for drinking hot chocolate.

The Mayans and the Aztecs believed (and perhaps some people still do) that chocolate was a gift from the gods. The Aztecs in particular revered the drink - they gave it to victorious warriors after battle, would use it during religious rituals, and even used cacao beans as currency.

The Aztecs believed the cacao beans were gifts from Quetzalcoatl, the God of Wisdom. They would give xocoátl (the bitter chocolate drink) as sacrifices. Chocolate was also used to relieve stomach pain, colds and fevers. Outside of the ruling classes, chocolate's main use was as a rudimentary form of currency.

By the 15th century, the Aztecs used cocoa beans as currency. They believed that chocolate was a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl, and drank it as a refreshing beverage, an aphrodisiac, and even to prepare for war.

The recent popularity of dark chocolate, with more cocoa and less sugar, in fact has a long tradition. The Mayas gave it to their warriors for its health benefits and to stimulate them.