Chocolate Caliente is a hot chocolate drink from Spain made using milk, sugar, cornstarch and high quality dark chocolate.
The cornstarch and sugar are mixed into the milk until they dissolve. Once both have dissolved, the milk is heated up, the chocolate is added and stirred until it is completely melted. Its usually served as part of breakfast.
The added cornstarch makes the chocolate caliente thick and velvety. This thick texture enables the chocolate caliente to double as a sauce especially for churros con caliente, a common breakfast dish.
The churros can be dipped into the hot chocolate. There isn’t much variation besides swapping out the milk for non dairy options or adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or cinnamon for an extra kick.
Sugar isn’t always a necessary ingredient to make Chocolate Caliente. Its purpose is to help curb any bitterness caused by the type of chocolate used. Candy bar or milk chocolate is not suitable. Ideally, using dark chocolate with over 60 percent cocoa solids produces the best results.
Origin & Cultural Significance
Chocolate was introduced to Spain from the Americas during the colonial period. While just about every country has a version of hot chocolate, Chocolate Caliente is unique for its sweetness and thick consistency. The simple ingredients and lack of spices allows the pure chocolate flavor to come through.
Spanish Chocolate Caliente Recipe
Chocolate Caliente is a hot chocolate drink from Spain. It is made using milk, sugar, cornstarch and high-quality dark chocolate.
Ingredients
- Whole milk - 2 cups
- Dark chocolate bar - 6 oz.
- Cornstarch - 2/3 tsp
- White sugar (optional) - 2 tsp
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the chocolate into small pieces
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch.
- Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- If a sweeter hot chocolate is desires, add the sugar now.
- Whisk until dissolved.
- Put the saucepan over medium heat until the milk starts to boil, stirring frequently.
- Remove it from the heat.
- Add the chocolate to the saucepan and stir until completely melted.
- Taste for sweetness and adjust if necessary. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 633Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 6gSugar: 57gProtein: 12g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.