Mexican Hot Chocolate {Slow Cooker} Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between hot chocolate and Mexican hot chocolate? ›

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.

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

The Aztecs used a Molinillo, which is a Mexican wooden whisk, to froth hot chocolate and other drinks such as atoles. It's a very old kitchen tool and very little historical records exist prior to the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores to Mexico.

Once the milk is warm, stir occasionally until all the chocolate has melted into the milk. Please note that the Abuelita chocolate has a grainy texture and it may look like it has not dissolved completely, but it completely okay to have that grainy texture.

Replace the Mexican chocolate called for in your recipe with an equal amount of semisweet chocolate or cocoa powder. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and, if you like, a drop of almond extract for every ounce of chocolate.

SUGAR, NONFAT MILK, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, COCOA, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND/OR PALM KERNEL, AND/OR SOYBEAN), DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, AND LESS THAN 2% OF CELLULOSE GUM, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM CASEINATE, SALT, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SUCRALOSE.

Nestlé Abuelita Hot Chocolate Tablets

This is one of the most famous brands of hot chocolate from Mexico.

The Mayans called the drink “chocolhaa” (“bitter water”) and Aztecs called it “Xocolatl.” From those words eventually evolved the word “chocolate.” Cacao was used in special celebrations such as those for funeral rituals, war, or harvests.

The ancient recipes are made with ground cacao that has not been refined for longer than a few minutes. Remember, this used to be done by hand, no machines. Actually, this style of unrefined chocolate is still largely hand-processed. This is why the texture of a true Mexican chocolate will always be gritty and grainy.

What is Nestle Mexican hot chocolate? ›

Abuelita is a Mexican-style hot chocolate also known as chocolate para mesa (English: "table chocolate") owned by the Nestlé company. It was originally invented and commercialized in Mexico in 1939, by Fábrica de Chocolates La Azteca.

At its most basic, Mexican chocolate is made from coarsely ground cacao, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. 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.

Sugar Bloom

“The moisture dissolves the sugar in the chocolate and when it evaporates, the sugar crystals re-solidify into those tell-tale spotty white dots and chalky appearance on the surface.”

Instant Hot Chocolate ABUELITA™ envelopes can be prepared with water.

It Started in Mexico

As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers (as well as other ingredients)—a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today.

Unlike “American hot chocolate”, Mexican hot chocolate contains less sugar and has a stronger, more intense chocolate taste. It also contains warm spices like cinnamon and cayenne pepper to add an extra dimension to the drink. What is this? Basically, it's divine.

Unlike the standard hot chocolate we top with marshmallows or whipped cream, Spanish hot chocolate is much richer and has a pudding-like consistency. As such, it's served in smaller portions and a shallower cup, making it easier to coat each bite of sugar-cinnamon-dusted churro.