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Anonimo

Feb 13, 2006, 7:12 PM

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Chocolate Caliente

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Not that it really matters all that much, but what is "the recommended" number of tablets of chocolate to say, a half liter of milk? I used 1 1/2 tablets a while ago to about 12 ounces of milk, and the results were rich and delicious.

Buen provecho,
Anonimo

DoDi2

Feb 13, 2006, 8:33 PM

Post #2 of 5 (1426 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Chocolate Caliente

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I think it's all a matter of taste.

I tend to like a lot of chocolate in mine, so I agree with your proportions, I know some ladies who make it on the strong side also. But I also know some people (who happen to live in my house...) who like it with less chocolate (and have told me so, yikes).

Other preferance variables I've encountered are people who like chocolate made with water better than that made with milk. My experiance has been that chocolate con agua is far more commonly served in Mexican homes in Mexico, but con leche is served more commonly in Mexican homes in the U.S.

Another one is between the darker less sweet chocolate tablets or the chocolate made with more sugar and canela. I like the dark chocolate better, but I don't know anyone else besides me that feels that way. It's dangerous to keep the dark kind in the house because I like it too much... my problem is trying to control myself from cutting pieces off and just eating it raw!

Anonimo

Feb 14, 2006, 5:48 AM

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Re: [DoDi2] Chocolate Caliente

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DoDi, Happy Valentines' Day!

Ok, I prefer darker and semi-amargo to sweeter. Last night's was excellent. It was made from chocolate we bought at the temporary Tienda in front of the 2º Encuentro de Las Cocineras, etc, back in December. The brand is "Kekua", which I have not seen on sale in stores, but then, I haven't looked very much. We also like "Chocolate Joaquita", sold in a tiny shop in Pátzcuaro, but it's sweeter and tastes more of cacahuates.

Buen provecho,
Anonimo

Gayla

Feb 14, 2006, 1:05 PM

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Re: [DoDi2] Chocolate Caliente

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The best hot chocolate I've ever had on either side of the border was at Cafe Azul y Oro on the UNAM campus in D.F. It was water based and the chocolate is a proprietary blend made for the chef in Oaxaca (I suspect MayorDomo does the blend, but I'm not 100% certain on that). It was the most remarkable hot chocolate, thick, rich and utter beguiling.

Right now at home I have chocolate from MayorDomo (available in the U.S. from www.chocosphere.com), Popular that I picked up in Monterrey last year, which was surprisingly good and some chcolate from Michoacan. The directions on the MayorDomo box (which was purchased in Oaxaca) are bilingual, and, IIRC, for 1 liter of milk or water it suggests using 1 bar (250 gms, or 4 oz) of chocolate. The directions on the Popular, which also comes in scored bar form, are a "tazo" (I'm assuming 6 oz) of milk or water to 1 square (16 gms, or about 3/4 of an oz) a of chocolate. So the ratio is roughly 6-8 oz. water or milk to 1 oz. of chocolate.

A variation that I'm doing right now when I make milk based hot chocolate is to add a few cloves (3 or 4), about a 1/4 tsp. of crushed red chile flakes and a strip of orange peel (or a few drops of Boyijan Orange Oil), white pith removed, and let steep while the milk is heating to scalding. Add the chocolate, stir to melt/dissolve, strain into a blender, process on highest speed for what seems like a long time in order to get it to foam enough. Yeah, I know a molinillo works better, but I don't need the upper body workout and by this time I'm usually a little too impatient to drink the hot chocolate. :-D

Of course, it's been 80* + in San Diego for the last 2 weeks and, alas, a little too warm for hot chocolate

(This post was edited by Gayla on Feb 14, 2006, 11:24 PM)

DoDi2

Feb 14, 2006, 1:20 PM

Post #5 of 5 (1398 views)

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Re: [Gayla] Chocolate Caliente

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Gayla, you're recipe sounds fantastic! I'm printing you post out to save it.

... I cheat to make foam, too. Instead of the molinillo (I respect any woman that can get a head of foam on chocolate con agua with that thing), I get out my good old electric egg beater and zip zap there it is. I used to try to hid that I was doing it this way, but now I've lost all sense of shame about it ;-)