Photograph of molinillo huecos used to froth Mexican Hot Chocolate from GourmetSleuth.com-shop

“The Spanish explorers were so enamored with the flavor of chocolate that they took it back to Spain where it became the the Kings’ Official Drink in the New Spain and Europe.  Around the end of the XVIII century(1780 – 1800) , Europeans started preparing chocolate with milk and sugar to create what we know today as Hot Chocolate.  In fact the drink became so popular many of the leading European porcelain manufactures such as Limoges in France began making specialized pots and cups just to serve chocolate.” GourmetSleuth.com-shop

Frankly, this is so rich, it’s a meal in itself.  It combines espresso, dark chocolate, almond, cinnamon, and cayenne. More good news: no cholesterol, no dairy, no gluten, and easy on the sugar.  I use SweetLeaf® Sweetener™ to sweeten, but don’t make this very sweet.  I confess that when I make this for myself I use double the amount of cayenne.

I find stevia as a sugar substitute lends itself well to drinks. I prefer it to other sweeteners because it is natural.  It’s an herb not a chemical. Additionally, unlike both sugar and chemical sweeteners, it has a zero glycemic index.  I prefer SweetLeaf® Sweetener™ brand because it includes inulin, which is a soluble fiber. I also appreciate the convenient packaging.

To make a Mexican Mocha, prepare espresso following the directions in the Musing by Moonlight post for January 2, 2009. Prepare the Mexican hot chocolate recipe included below in this post.  Combine the espresso and the hot chocolate and froth using a molinillo hueco, a wire whip, or  an immersion blender.  The way I make this, it’s a bittersweet chocolate flavor. If you like to top it with whipped cream, Soyatoo Whipped Cream is non-dairy and gluten free.

Photograph from Cosmos Vegan Shoppe.com

 Gluten-free, Dairy-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate

Serves two

4 tablespoons Dagoba Organic Chocolate, pure cacao powder (it’s gluten free)

1 2 oz. bar Dagoba Organic Chocolate, xocolatl (it’s gluten free), broken into pieces

2 1/2 cups of unsweetened organic almond milk

3 packets of  SweetLeaf® Sweetener™

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine in a saucepan, heating until very hot.  Stir constantly to ensure that it doesn’t stick, the chocolate bar melts, and the ingredients are mixed well.  When heated through whip to forth.  Serve immediately with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder if you like.

Great to go with a home screening of Like Water for Chocolate.