Okay, so I’ve been hearing about this “chocolá” thing for a while now. Everyone’s raving about how it’s this amazing, rich, traditional drink. I figured, “Hey, I like chocolate, I like trying new things, let’s do this!” So I decided to give it a shot and make some myself.
First things first, I needed to figure out what the heck chocolá actually is. I did a bit of digging around, and it turns out it’s not your average hot chocolate. It’s way more intense and often has spices mixed in. Okay, cool. Challenge accepted.
Gathering the Goods
Next, I needed ingredients. I found a few different recipes, some calling for just cacao and water, others suggesting chili peppers, cinnamon, and even corn flour! I opted for a slightly more elaborate version, because, why not?
- Cacao nibs: I found these at a fancy health food store. Apparently, they’re less processed than regular cocoa powder.
- Water: Easy enough.
- Chili pepper: I went with a dried ancho chili, seemed like a safe bet.
- Cinnamon stick: For that warm, cozy flavor.
- Honey: To sweeten things up a bit. Some recipes called for sugar, but I like honey.
Let’s get into how I actually made it
I started by toasting the cacao nibs in a dry pan. This is supposed to bring out the flavor, and it definitely made my kitchen smell amazing. I just tossed them around for a few minutes until they were fragrant.
Then, I ground the toasted nibs. I don’t have a fancy grinder, so I just used my trusty coffee grinder. It worked pretty well, although the nibs were a bit oily, so it took a little longer than grinding coffee beans.
Next up, I heated some water in a pot and tossed in the cinnamon stick and the ancho chili (after removing the seeds – I didn’t want it too spicy). I let that simmer for a bit, just to infuse the water with all those good flavors.
Once the water was nice and fragrant, I took out the chili and cinnamon stick and whisked in the ground cacao nibs. This part was a bit tricky. The mixture was pretty thick and grainy, not like the smooth hot chocolate I’m used to. I kept whisking, hoping it would magically smooth out. (Spoiler: it didn’t, really.)
Finally, I stirred in a bit of honey to sweeten it up. And that was it! My very own homemade chocolá.
How did my Chocolá turned out?
Honestly, it was…interesting. Definitely not like any hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It was super rich and intense, with a definite kick from the chili. The texture was a bit grainy, but I kind of liked that. It felt rustic and authentic. It really had some robust and earthy flavors going on!
Would I make it again? Maybe. It was a fun experiment, and I’m glad I tried it. But it’s definitely not something I’d drink every day. It’s more of a special occasion kind of drink, something to savor and appreciate. Or maybe I’ll try another recipes, maybe a different method?
