Chili Chocolate

It is known that the Mayans used to drink their chocolate with chili and unsweetened. The word “chocolatl” means “bitter drink”; and there’s evidence that it dates from about 2000 years BC! The original drink was the fermented, roasted and ground beans of the cacao.

It was the Europeans who later added refined sugar and milk to create the chocolate drink we know today. Unfortunately, the old traditions of the “bitter drink” seem to be lost even in the areas where the Mayas lived, as most of the world has developed a sweet tooth. But now, with cacao butter being more readily accessible, we can somewhat replicate this beverage in our own homes!

Personally, I love dark, bitter chocolate and enjoy making my own. This recipe includes chili powder, but you can omit it and add other ingredients as you like, for example, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, dried fruit pieces, nuts…whatever strikes your fancy! You can create chocolate “candy”, bars, “chips” or drink it alone or with some coconut or almond milk….

If you prefer no sweetener at all, omit the honey. I’ve made it with and without, depending on the recipe with which I’m using the chocolate.

It chills nicely and keeps its form, but starts to melt quickly in warm temperatures. So, beware with handling it and getting chocolate fingers. 😉

Try this Chili Chocolate with my Chestnut-Cashew Chili Chocolate Chip Cookies (that’s a lot of C’s… ) for a great combination of sweet, spicy and healthy!