It’s cold outside, so let’s heat things up a bit! A spiced up Mayan chocolate latte should do the trick, because it did it for me!
The only thing that I like about the cold weather is the excuse to make hot foods. I’m not eating soup in the summer, even if it is gazpacho or borsht (cold soups weird me out tbh). With that in mind, I am not a big fan of drinking hot drinks in the summer either. It just makes me sweat in the most uncomfortable way possible.
So that is why we must eat and drink the hot foods and beverages while it is still cold! And in New England, you can be sure that will be until May. *pained laughter*
A quick history lesson in chocolate
If you have not heard, chocolate has been around for a long time; historians say over 4,000 years. It was a drink that was mixed with chili, vanilla, honey, allspice and other spices. Chocolate didn’t really reach a solid, edible stage until the 1850s in Europe. For most of its life, chocolate has been a drink, and reportedly a very bitter one at that! (source)
And that is what we are doing today! I wanted to pay homage to this ancient beverage and add my own twist while I’m at it.
This drink was bitter anyway, so what’s the problem with adding a little espresso bitterness? Thus, the Mayan chocolate latte was born! And this is just a little bit of everything. It’s got a little spice, a little sweet, and a little bit of that espresso bitterness. Lastly, as you swallow your sip, there’s just a little kick from the cayenne in the back of your throat. Not too much; it was just enough to know it is there.
It was great for this chilly morning.
This time, instead of doing stove-top prep, I tried something a little different. I used the microwave instead!
I want these recipes to be something that everyone can make easily and quickly. There’s no reason to make this more difficult than it needs to!
Did you make this drink and want to get showcased on twitter? Be sure to snap a pic and use #FDLDrinks to get yourself retweeted!
Cheers!
Gem
Place all ingredients except for espresso in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Stir to combine. Place bowl in microwave and set microwave to 30 second intervals at 80% power. Stir between each interval. This takes about 2 minutes. once chocolate is melted and the milk is hot (but not boiling hot), pour in the espresso shots. Take a hand blender and pulse for about 30 seconds or until there is an even coat of foam on the top of the liquid. ladle into cups and garnish with baking cocoa. Serve immediately. -If you want the drink to be less sweet, use bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate morsels instead.Mayan Chocolate Latte
Goods you need
Let's get to it!
Pro tips
-If you want your drink to be a little spicier, replace the pinch with an 1/8 tsp of cayenne. This was my first attempt and for someone with a fairly low heat tolerance it was not fun.
-Time will vary by microwaves. I have a 1000 watt microwave that I tried this recipe in
