INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups whole milk 908 grams, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups heavy cream 454 grams
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 8 ounces dark chocolate 227 grams, chopped (2 (4-ounce) bars), Baker’s brand recommended
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate 227 grams, chopped (2 (4-ounce) bars), Baker’s brand recommended
EQUIPMENT
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk 1 teaspoon of milk with the ground cinnamon in a small bowl to make a paste then add it and the rest of the milk, heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon sticks to a large pot or Dutch oven and stir to combine.½ teaspoon ground cinnamon,4 cups whole milk,2 cups heavy cream,¼ cup granulated sugar,3-4 whole cinnamon sticks
- Heat over medium heat until it’s about to boil.
- In the meantime, boil 3 inches of water in a saucepan, then place a heat-proof glass bowl on top to make a double boiler, and add the dark and semisweet chocolate to the bowl and stir continuously until fully melted.8 ounces dark chocolate,8 ounces semisweet chocolate
- Turn the heat off and pour in 3-4 ladles of the milk mixture, whisking the entire time until the chocolate is very runny.
- Pour the chocolate into the large pot and whisk to combine then continue whisking and cooking over medium heat until it is heated through but not boiling.
- Serve immediately with a dash of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick for garnish if desired.
NOTES
- In place of the cinnamon, try using pie spice!
- You can use a lower-fat milk, but the hot chocolate will not be as rich.
- You can use half-and-half in place of the cream, but the hot chocolate will not be as rich.
- Feel free to steep in other whole spices, such as star anise, cloves, or nutmeg for a different flavor!
- You can use any chocolate you have on hand, though I don’t recommend using milk chocolate since it won’t be as rich and will be too sweet.
- For spicy hot chocolate, add a pinch or two or cayenne pepper!
- Feel free to add a shot of alcohol to individual cups, or add 1½ cups of vodka or rum to the whole batch!
- Use good quality chocolate, such as Baker’s or Ghirardelli!
- Make sure to mix the ground cinnamon with a bit of milk before adding it to the whole pot; this will prevent it from clumping!
- If you don’t want to use a double-boiler, you can microwave the chopped chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring frequently, until it has melted.
Storage: Store Mexican hot chocolate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.