Haitian Hot Chocolate

Haitian Hot Chocolate

A month ago I went to Haiti and I brought back with me some raw Haitian chocolate. I set about making the real deal this morning, hot chocolate Haitian style. No hot water or little packets of cocoa powder were involved in the making of my hot chocolate.  Roasted and stoned ground Haitian Criollo cocoa beans were the stars of my hot chocolate which I sweeten with unrefined organic brown sugar.

1. I poured water in a heavy-based saucepan and boil it over medium heat for five minutes.  Then I added cinnamon sticks, pure cocoa balls or to the boiling water. I boiled the mixture for 15 minutes or until the cocoa balls are completely dissolved. I  removed the mixture from heat then strained it.

2. I later returner the pot of strained chocolate to low medium heat; add almond extract,  milk, and sugar then stir. When it reached the desired sweetness, I mixed some flour with water and slowly added it the simmering chocolate to add  consistency. 

When ready, I serve the  hot chocolate with buttered toast. Sipping on a cup of Haitian hot chocolate with toast really reminds me of home!

Ingredients

1/2 cup grated Haitian cocoa sticks or balls

2 cups water

1 cup milk(I like it best with carnation evaporate milk)

Sugar to sweeten

Vanilla

Cinnamon sticks, or anise

Tablespoon of flour