For thousands of years cocoa has been used to treat illness. Oh, and it tastes good too, especially if it packs a little bit of a gentle punch.
The very first cups of hot chocolate was drank by the Mayans over 2000 years ago. They ground cocoa seeds into a paste and mixed it with water, cornmeal, chile peppers and other ingredients. The drink was also said to have magical healing powers and was heavily popular amongst the Oltecs, Mayans and Aztecs.
For this recipe, I used the a fine quality cocoa powder called Valrhona – this cocoa powder is among the richest, darkest “dutched” cocoa you can find. It is considered by many chefs and gourmands around the world to produce the finest chocolate that contains no added fat or butter oil, resulting in less calories than most chocolate. For an added dimension, the warming kick from the cayenne pepper makes this a flavor journey too.
The best part about this hot chocolate recipe is that it’s healthy for you (minus the marshmallows that is). With no added sugar or minimal fats, this deep-bodied rich chocolate drink will excite your senses and leave you feeling happily satisfied. With cocoa being richer in antioxidants than even red wine and green tea, you’ll feel anything but guilty for enjoying a hot mug of this hot chocolate.
For thousands of years cocoa has been used to treat fatigue, fever, diarrhea, chest ailments and several stomach disorders. Cocoa beans is especially rich in antioxidants called Flavonoids — which are beneficial to arterial health by reducing blood platelet buildup and shielding blood vessels from free radical damage. It is said by heating the chocolate, more antioxidants are released and makes absorbtion easier for the body. According to the American Association for Advancement of Science, drinking hot chocolate helps you think better too, by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
Spicy Hot Cocoa
For thousands of years cocoa has been used to treat illnesses. Oh, and it tastes good too, especially with a gentle chili kick added to it.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients
- 4 cups organic skim milk
- 1/4 cup Valrhona cocoa
- 4 77% Dark cocoa discs
- 1 teasponn cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- cinnamon stick, red chili, and marshmallows for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a medium suacepan at medium high heat. Heat until milk is scalded or almost boiling, about 2 minutes. Mix in the cocoa powder, spices and chocolate discs and let it sit for 1 minute. Using a whisk or hand blender, whisk the mixture until frothy. Serve hot and top with marshmallows and a cinnamon stick. Garnish with hot chiles if desired.
Beautiful photos!! 🙂
Yes, beautiful photos and this has me rethinking my usual ‘arrive at work’ and ‘after lunch cocoas’ 🙂 I need to take some spices to work!