Last Updated on November 10, 2024 by Chef Mireille
Hot Cocoa – one of those comfort drinks that automatically remind you of your childhood – while sometimes my mother served the packaged stuff that comes in the envelopes for speed and convenience, when she served Caribbean Hot Cocoa, that was our special treat!!
This is still something you can’t find in the US , so she used it sparingly because it was only when we went to the Caribbean or when someone we knew went, were we able to get fresh cocoa from the Caribbean. Boiled with evaporated milk and spices – it is Heaven on Earth!!
So the next time you go to the Caribbean, instead of coming back with another T-shirt or keychain you don’t need, go to any grocery store and buy some cocoa. It is sold either in cones or sticks and sometimes comes in a little bag with the cinnamon and bay leaf.
I still had some cocoa and fresh cinnamon bark left from my last trip to Dominica, and so here is my recipes for Caribbean Hot Cocoa. If you can’t get any fresh cocoa from the Caribbean, use a dark chocolate bar – as pure cocoa as you can get.
Caribbean Cocoa Tea
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 3 small bay leaves
- 1/3 cocoa stick approximately 2 tablespoons
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 3 tablespoons demarara sugar
- freshly grated nutmeg.
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring the water with the cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaves to a boil.
- After it comes to a rolling boil, let it boil for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cocoa and simmer on medium heat until it melts.
- Add evaporated milk.
- Lower the heat to low and cover the pot.
- Simmer on low heat until you see the cocoa start to rise to the top.
- Add sugar and stir to combine.
- Simmer for 1 minute until the sugar melts.
- Turn off heat.
- Strain the hot cocoa.
- Garnish with freshly grated numeg.
Notes
- It is important to let it simmer on low heat.
- Cooking on high heat will cause too much liquid to evaporate.
- It is normal for a skin to appear on the top as it chills. This is the fat from the cocoa.
Chennette
ah, the good stuff
i like mine with nutmeg too!
Coffee and Vanilla
Now I know what to do with the cocoa sticks I have at home 🙂
Enjoy your day 😉
Margot