Willie’s 8 Top Tips for Making The Best Luxury Hot Chocolate
It was my first miraculous taste of the hot chocolate made from the beans at El Tesoro, my farm, that first inspired me: opening my eyes and my heart to REAL chocolate. Ever since that first taste I’ve been devoted to exploring and sharing the wonders of the world's great single estate cacaos. Ever since then I’ve been experimenting and discovering the best processes that allow the pure flavours of each and every bean to sing and shine in whichever form of chocolate suits it best.
So, I can say that Hot Chocolate really is something very close to my heart! But it’s not just me, hot chocolate evokes precious childhood memories for so many of us doesn’t it! Warming up and getting cosy after wild winter days playing outside in the cold.
As the creator of your luxury hot chocolate, It’s my duty to equip you with the knowledge you need to make the absolute most of your experience drinking it… once it’s out of the factory, it’s over to you…
But to help you reach hot chocolate heaven, here are my 8 Top Tips:
1- Froth it! If you are lucky enough to have my Luxury Hot Chocolate powder in your possession, take it to the next level again and fulfil its destiny - FROTH IT! It begs you to… from bean to bar, or bean to powder in the case of my Medellin Luxury Hot chocolate, the process has taken weeks. I promise you, it really is worth that little extra step for the final touch! Just pour the mix into a liquidiser, or use a whisk or beater.
2- Top it! Go on… treat yourself: it’s already special enough, but let’s celebrate it’s specialness with a dusting of hot chocolate powder, or top it with whipped cream… or why not both?
3- Bake some Brownies! Well, you’re already spoiling yourself and your loved ones, right? No further explanation is needed here.
My 100% cylinders are my personal choice, I use them to make my Aztec hot chocolate. They’re also naturally vegan.
1 - Choose your single estate cacao bean. Which of my prized beans will you enjoy the most? Why not try a few and experiment? My personal favourite is Peruvian black, Chulucanas, it’s fruity with notes of raisins and plums, I love it! Your personal favourite, however, may well be different. You won’t know unless you try… Check the descriptions in each of my 100% cylinders and pick those that resonate the most with you. Are you into toffee caramel notes, smooth and nutty, fruity? Discover my 100% cylinders.
2 - Simmer to thicken it. Don't miss this stage, once it’s boiling with the water, lower the heat and simmer for around 3 minutes or until it thickens. It makes all the difference!
3 - Again - Froth It! The Aztecs knew it, and you do too… with Aztec-style hot chocolate when you use just water and perhaps a little sugar, you’ll get a lighter froth than with milk, frothing is wonderful and necessary.
4 - Milk or Water? It’s entirely up to you, I use water, so did the Aztecs. There’s already enough smooth and creamy cocoa butter to make a really wonderful hot chocolate but you can try it with milk, dairy or plant-based, and decide your own favourite.
5 - Experiment with flavours. My Aztec Hot Chocolate Recipe uses Ancho chilli, it’s mild, but the Aztecs would have used many types of chilli with varying heats. Over the years in different countries many other flavours have been added to hot chocolate. For example, when hot chocolate arrived in the east they added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, crushed rose petals and jasmine leaves. Can you think of anything else you’d like to try?
So there you have it my 8 Top Tips For Making the Best Luxury Hot Chocolate! It’s over to you, let me know how you get on and be sure to tag me @williescacao in your social media posts too.
