Traditional Hot Cocoa

I am, as you probably all know an enormous fan of chocolate of any kind or form and this beautiful comforting hot drink has been prepared as long as cocoa powder has been available. It is a drink that warms on a cold winter day and can cool during a hot summer when served as a cold chocolate milk. If there is any chocolate milk leftover it can be used to make a cocktail by adding your favourite liqueur such as brandy, rum or whisky.

This drink uses natural unsweetened cocoa powder which is light brown with a strong pronounced chocolate flavour and is produced by the Broma method. It is slightly acidic and is best to use this cocoa powder in baking recipes calling for baking soda.

Dutch process cocoa powder is darker in colour and is alkalized, therefore less acidic with a milder chocolate flavour. Dutch cocoa powder is mostly used in baking recipes containing baking powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder is very bitter and is generally used in sweets and confections. To make cocoa powder out of the cacao bean, the nibs are first ground into a strong paste and the fat is removed. The remaining solids are grounded up again into the fine dust we know as cocoa powder and using cocoa powder in a cake requires the use of shortening or butter in the recipe.

Cacao powder specifically refers to raw, unsweetened powder and cocoa powder may still contain a very small amount of cocoa.

Raw cacao powder is unadulterated and contains many more nutrients than traditional cocoa powder. It is claimed to be a superfood which is sold via health food stores and online retailers. Many of these retailers also promote the benefits of raw cacao powder.

Ingredients

4 tbls cocoa (24g)

55 g Caster sugar

700 ml milk

Method

Place the cocoa powder and sugar in a saucepan and cream to a smooth paste with a little of the milk. Increasingly stir in the remaining milk and put the pan on a medium heat and cook to very hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk until frothy. Quickly pour into cups and serve straight away.

Note: For a little extra indulgence add whipped cream or marshmallows and dust with cocoa powder or grated nutmeg.