Brazilian Creamy Hot Cocoa Recipe - Olivia's Cuisine (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between cocoa and hot cocoa? ›

Ingredients. The source of the chocolate flavour is different. Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

The ancient chocolate drink tasted much different than what most of us know as chocolate today. It was a bitter drink, served hot and frothy made from ground caco (the dried beans of caco pods from the Theobroma caco tree), cinnamon, vanilla, dried roasted chili peppers, and sometimes with honey as a sweetener.

Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, sugar, and milk. Also, hot cocoa tends to be sweet and light in body. Also, it often contains flavoring like vanilla or even spices like ground cinnamon. So those packets of Swiss Miss you grew up on are most definitely hot cocoa, and not hot chocolate.

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.

Overall, while both chocolate and coffee can be enjoyed in moderation, hot chocolate may offer more satisfying and potentially heart-healthy benefits. However, if you need a quick caffeine fix, coffee may be the better option.

Regular, moderate consumption of cocoa-rich hot chocolate can support cardiovascular health by improving blood flow, reducing blood pressure, and decreasing levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol. However, choosing high-quality cocoa, like the ones we use in our creations, is vital to reap the optimum benefits.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote to his pal John Adams and predicted that hot chocolate would surpass coffee and tea to become the favored beverage of Americans.

The first chocolate drink is believed to have been created at least 5,300 years starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador and later consumed by the Maya around 2,500–3,000 years ago. A cocoa drink was an essential part of Aztec culture by 1400 AD, by which they referred to as xocōlātl.

The lightness and creaminess created by melting marshmallows or whipped cream into hot cocoa to balance the thickness and richness of the chocolate perfectly. Not to mention, everyone loves using hot chocolate as an excuse to eat marshmallows straight out of the bag or whipped cream right from the can.

Rum: Dark or spiced rum can give your hot chocolate an exciting Caribbean twist. Rum's natural sweetness and spicy undertones complement the rich cocoa beautifully, creating a blend that is smooth, warming and deeply comforting. Brandy: A shot of brandy can lend an enticing depth of flavour to your hot chocolate.

How do you make hot cocoa taste better? ›

An easy way to add extra flavor to any cup of cocoa—be it out of the box or homemade—is to add a touch of your favorite spices. A sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg or even cayenne can all be welcome warming additions.

Unsweetened cocoa powder: a high-quality cocoa powder or cacao powder is essential. I highly recommend using Ghirardelli's 100% cocoa. I think it has the best flavor for hot chocolate (and trust me, I've tried quite a few!)

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.

Mexican hot chocolate includes various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper. These ingredients give it a unique flavor that is sweet and slightly spicy.

In short, you can use hot chocolate powder as a cocoa powder substitute in a pinch, but you may not experience the depth of flavour you want. Because most brands of hot chocolate powder include sugar or sweetener, you may wish to reduce the amount of sugar you add to your baking recipe.

Warming chocolate drinks are undoubtedly one of winter's greatest pleasures, but if you're drinking a highly processed hot chocolate, you simply aren't reaping the same health benefits as you could be with cacao. Not only is cacao more satisfying and fulfilling, it's also far better for you and the planet!

cocoa powder – Either unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch processed cocoa or cacao powder will work in making your own hot chocolate. The key is to use unsweetened cocoa powder. On it's own, it tastes very bitter and not sweet at all. The only ingredient in the store-bought brand you buy should be cocoa.

The Bottom Line

Generally, raw cacao products — made from fermented, dried, unroasted cacao beans — are less processed and healthier. Still, standard dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is a good source of beneficial antioxidants and minerals.