Livin’ la vida hot chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, condensed milk, and a hint of chili powder. How Ahh-mazing. <– I’m sure you’ve figured out that that is not the traditional shopping list for hot cocoa. That’s because we’re doing a twist of the traditional hot chocolate today! Hot cocoa is the stuff that childhood dreams are made of. And if your childhood was anything like mine, then Swiss Miss hot chocolate was definitely a staple. Swiss Miss was perfect for my childhood, mainly because I didn’t know any better. I gave it a try a few years ago and honestly, I can’t figure out why I liked the stuff. It’s got the faintest hint of chocolate. I’m suspicious that I probably wasn’t a hot cocoa snob when I was 5. I don’t expect my hot chocolate to be a bar of chocolate in liquid form, but shouldn’t a beverage that’s got the word ‘chocolate’ in it’s title have a significant amount of chocolate in it’s contents? I think so. Mexican hot chocolate is slightly different than the traditional stuff we’re used to. I find it to be a tad bit thicker, it’s spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of chili powder. Don’t worry the chili powder is no way strong enough to be spicy, it just adds a little heat. It’s comforting and cozy. The spices are meant to be subtle but add so much flavor to the chocolate. Today’s recipe for hot cocoa is quick and easy to make. I added all the contents into a mini crockpot that i’ve reserved for dips and drinks, like hot chocolate. It’s the perfect size for the task. I hate having to clean out my large crockpot when i’m making appetizers or hot beverages for just a few people.The ingredient list for this Mexican hot chocolate is simple:
bittersweet chocolate cocoa powder sweetened condensed milk cinnamon nutmeg chili powder milk
If you can toss everything in a crockpot and stir it twice every hour, you can make this recipe. Warm, comforting, and perfect for the holidays. It’s kind of crazy that it wasn’t until recently that I tried to actually make homemade hot chocolate. And what’s crazier is that I didn’t even think good hot chocolate could come out of a crockpot. But, oh how I was wrong. The flavors have a chance to really sit and enhance as they are slow heated. I make this stuff all the time now. A lot of recipes call for heavy cream or half and half, and although you can definitely add those in, I decided to go the old fashioned route and just use good ol’ whole milk. This recipe would also work with 2% or even skim. Grab a bar of your favorite bittersweet chocolate, even dark chocolate chips would work. It’s simple, clearly it’s easy to make, and way cheaper than purchasing store bought mixes. As a bonus, you skip out on all those preservatives too 🙂 Happy hot chocolating!
I’ve used chocolate chips in the past but this can really be a hit or a miss. For best results, I suggest using chopped chocolate.
