Here is the recipe for the spicy Mayan hot chocolate that we made in our chocolate workshop in Antigua. While the Mayans used to add blood when offering this to their Gods, we used Aztec trick of adding the spice achiote instead. You may like to omit this or substitute with paprika if you can’t get hold of it.
Have 2 jugs ready for the decanting stage…
Ingredients
- 25 cacao beans (fermented and dried)
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 pinch ground anise
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp achiote (optional, or substitute with paprika)
- 500ml water (boiled)
Method
- Roast the cacao beans for 15 minutes until blackened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Gently tap each bean and peel. The skins can be discarded, though you may like to save them to make a Mayan Infused Chocolate Tea…
- Grind the beans in a mortar and pestle until they formed a slightly shiny paste (a result of the cacao butter being released).
- Place the cacao paste in a large jug.
- Add the chilli powder, anise, honey and achiote to the jug.
- Add the boiling water and sit for 5 minutes.
- Now mix the ingredients by repeatedly decanting between two jugs (10 times), with pouring done from high enough (about 30cm) to create a foam on the surface.
- Pour into mugs to serve.
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