I remember reading about Xocolatl on Acetylene’s blog some time ago. It sounded interesting, but I never pursued it. Then a few weeks ago my wife read about it in the Sacramento food co-op‘s news, and she decided to try some.
Holy cacao, Batman! This stuff brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “hot chocolate”! It’s not fiery hot. In fact, when you first taste it you only notice the chocolate (which is excellent). But you’ll definitely feel the chiles as an after effect–a very pleasant tingling sensation.
Warning: If you try this and are expecting warm chocolate milk, Swiss Miss, et cetera, you will be disappointed. This is almost guaranteed to be entirely unlike anything you’ve ever had before. Come to it with an open mind, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
I mixed this up according to the directions the first time, and it seemed a bit heavy on the chocolate. After a few adjustments, I now use the following: about 2½ Tbsp (35 mL) Xocolatl in a 12 oz (350 mL) mug. Add a few drops of cold milk to the chocolate powder and stir with a fork until you have a medium paste consistancy. (The old “Quik” chocolate milk trick.) Heat the rest of the milk in a saucepan, or use the microwave if you’re in a hurry. Slowly add the warm milk to the chocolate paste, stirring with the fork. Drink, and enjoy! When you get to the bottom of the mug, you’ll probably find some lumps of chocolate left over. I recommend that you just wash them out, but you probably won’t. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
Yeah, wash the lumps out. Xocolatl is definitely an acquired taste. I like it, but I only think about it when I’m in the mood for regular hot chocolate, and Xocolatl won’t meet that need. I need to find a different context in which to drink it.