Mexican Hot Chocolate (aka Aztec Cocoa) | Slow Cooker + Stovetop Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you use a Mexican hot chocolate maker? ›

Rather than stir the hot chocolate, like you might with a spoon, you place the end of the molinillo in a pot of hot water (or milk) and chocolate, then rub the handle between your palms, creating a small whirlpool that not only incorporates the cocoa but also oxygenates the mixture.

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.

Mayans worshipped xocolatl (or bitter water) made with crushed cocoa, cornmeal and chilli pepper.

The Aztecs used a Molinillo, which is a Mexican wooden whisk, to froth hot chocolate and other drinks such as atoles.

Chiles, nuts, and spices can also be worked into the mix, resulting in a complex, intense flavor. Besides its added ingredients, Mexican chocolate also has a more rustic texture than many other styles of chocolate.

The most significant difference is in the ingredients. Mexican hot chocolate uses various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper.

Aztec hot chocolate is a traditional beverage customary to parts of Mexico where the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations lived. At its most basic form, it's a mix of hot chocolate with chili powder or spice, and sometimes cinnamon and vanilla. The word "chocolate" comes from the Aztec "xocoatl", for cacao plant.

Mexican hot chocolate has a different taste than other hot chocolates, as it has a bold chocolate taste and incorporates spices and flavors like cinnamon. Its unique tablet form creates a frothy and rich drinking experience.

As per the suit, Nestlé USA finds an issue with the distributor importing Mexican products to the U.S. This includes Nescafé, Abuelita chocolate, Nido, La Lechera, Carnation and Media Crema. Nestlé USA alleges that Nestlé Mexico products were never meant to be sold in the United States.

It has a noticeably grainy texture because it's processed only to the “liquor” stage, before it's poured into the disk-shaped molds to cool and harden. Classically, it's flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. To make the drink, this solid chocolate is broken into pieces, then just melted into a pot of hot milk.

Do Mexicans drink Abuelita? ›

For generations, Nestlé Abuelita Authentic Mexican Style Hot Chocolate Mix has been an essential part of the Hispanic kitchen.

The ancient ancestor of hot chocolate dates back thousands of years to the Aztec, Olmec, and Mayan cultures of what is today Mexico and Central America. Though made from cocoa, this early cocoa-based drink was neither hot nor very chocolatey—at least, not by today's Hershey-fied standards.

Drinking chocolate was usually thickened with ground nuts. Since the alkaline process hadn't been invented, it was very bitter (the Aztec name chocolatl means bitter water ), so it was heavily sweetened. Vanilla wasn't the only spice it was flavored with either.

For the ancient Maya and Aztecs, chocolate was a divine elixir, consumed as a bitter, frothy beverage during these sacred rituals. This bitter concoction was considered a drink of the gods, a medium through which mortals could commune with the divine. (When I add honey, I can get there!)

With a 240ml capacity for heating simply add dairy, plant-based milk or water to The Chocolatier along with your favourite chocolate flakes, touch the button to create ultimate indulgent hot chocolate in under 5 minutes.

The molinillo is a Mexican wooden whisk that's used to mix up and add froth to a batch of Mexican hot chocolate. You simply roll the shaft between your palms to churn, mix, and foam the chocolate. The molinillo is also great for muddling fruits and herbs in homemade co*cktails!