- VeryBestBaking.com
Hot chocolate is perfect for this time of year and makes a comforting treat on chilly winter nights. Yes, you could take the easy route and buy a box of Swiss Miss (that also contains a slew of ingredients you can't pronounce), or you could spend a few extra minutes and whip up a batch from scratch with a flavorful twist — Mexican hot chocolate!
Mexican hot chocolate is basically hot chocolate with the addition of spices, like ground cinnamon and cayenne. And believe me, it's incredibly easy and foolproof to prepare. All you need is milk or cream (or sub soy or almond milk), semi-sweet chocolate, sugar, vanilla and spices. Some versions also call for a little bit of cocoa powder and whole spices, but it's all a matter of taste and interpretation.
As for the chocolate, you could use any brand of solid chocolate you like, but for a more authentic taste, I recommend using Taza's organic Chocolate Mexicano discs (which come in many flavors and are available at some specialty grocers and online), Ibarra chocolate discs, or Abuelita chocolate (the yellow box with a picture of a white-haired grandma), which can be easily found in the ethnic section at most grocery stores.
This article appears in Dec 15-21, 2011.