food & beverage

Hot Chocolate Around Latin America: A Taste of Mexico and Colombia

chocolate pouring in white mug
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

For Latinos, hot chocolate is a year-round thing, but it's also definitely a winter thing. And we definitely know how to give the traditional recipe a twist. It's not just the chocolate itself that makes it delicious, but the added ingredients that are characteristic of each country in Latin America. You might already know about the Salvadoran way to make hot chocolate, but there are more hot chocolate recipes to be had.

So now we go down two other chocolatey paths — a Mexican one and a Colombian one. What path will you choose?

Mexico

spicy fire breathing GIFGiphy

Have you ever thought about making your hot chocolate spicy? In Mexico, spicy hot chocolate is totally normal. The Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate is a must-try for any time of the year. To make the recipe as accurate as possible, you’ll need a very dark chocolate of at least 70% (pre-made cocoa powder won't do, sorry). You can find it at most supermarkets. If you want authentic Mexican dark chocolate, head over to the Latin market closest to you; they'll have it for sure.

Next, you'll need to boil a little bit of your preferred milk choice; once it's boiled, you'll drop in the chocolate (they usually sell them in tablets, and they melt beautifully). Once it's melted, you add in vanilla, cinnamon, and the star of this event: spicy chili peppers (usually by way of chili powder). And if you wanna make it a party, some people like to add one or two shots of brandy once it's ready to be served.

As the name suggests, the ones that preferred their hot chocolate spicy were the Aztecs; instead of adding sugar to make it sweet, they added chiles to make it bitter to make the chocolatey drink named Xocoatl. This hot chocolate is super easy to make and will make you the favorite of any gathering.

Colombia

@fatgirlhedonist

Reply to @whyareyoustaringatme246 #HOTCHOCOLATE WITH CHEESE! IFYKYK. #Chocolatecaliente #chocolateconqueso #🇨🇴 #comidacolombiana #cheesetiktok

Have you ever said the words: mmm, this hot chocolate needs more cheese? Probably not, unless you are from the beautiful land of Colombia, where this is a common occurrence. What makes Colombian hot chocolate unique is that cheese is added to the bottom of the cup. Once the hot chocolate is poured, the cheese will melt and mix with the drink. Trust us, it's crazy good.

The combination makes the hot chocolate thick and creamy. The saltiness combined with the sweetness makes for a luxurious culinary experience (think dipping fries in a milkshake).

For this one, also make sure you can get your hands on authentic dark chocolate, which you will mix in with boiled milk. You then mix in the chocolate till it melts; once your chocolate is ready, drop Queso Colombiano, firm mozzarella cheese, or another salty cheese option into a cup, and proceed to pour in your hot chocolate on top. And that's all! Pretty straightforward.

Be inspired, then make your own. 

Mexican hot chocolate served with bread
en.wikipedia.org
File:Oaxacanhotchocolate.jpg - Wikipedia
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