Chile Hot Chocolate

Decadent hot chocolate spiced with ancho chile, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon is a dessert I love to serve in demitasse or espresso cups. Less thick than my French-style hot chocolate, but much bolder than hot cocoa, this drinking chocolate is satisfyingly rich and requires no extra sugar than what is already included in the chocolate you select for this recipe.  I finish mine with whipped cream and a touch of extra cayenne pepper on top.

With Valentine’s Day almost here, consider serving this chile hot chocolate to a loved one or treat yourself to some.  While the correlation between romance and chocolate may be attributable more to lore than to science, who can deny the power of a decadent cup of the melted kind to impact the mood of a chocolate lover?  With the stimulating effects of chile pepper, this spicy drink should satisfy some cravings and might spark a few others.  

As sweet indulgences pair perfectly with expressions of love, I also have compiled some Valentine’s Day inspiration filled with ways to care for the community, loved ones, and yourself on this festive day and throughout the year.

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 dried ancho chile
2 cinnamon sticks
⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 ½ ounces ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao)
1 ½ ounces milk chocolate
Optional Toppings:  Whipped cream and sprinkled cayenne pepper

After whipping up a batch of this drink, you might recall a similar flavor from Mexican hot chocolate, desserts and even main course mole.  The combination of chiles, spices, and cacao was enjoyed by the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America and maintains a place in Mexican cuisine.  In this recipe, spice and chile are combined with the smoothness of modern chocolate.

For this spicy hot chocolate, choose high quality bittersweet and milk chocolates whose flavor notes you enjoy.  They will be highlighted by the ancho chile, which is a dried poblano pepper that can be found on the spice aisle or in the produce section. The wrinkled mahogany skin of the chile will plump up in the milk as it cooks imparting mild spice and a fruity quality that tends toward plum.  Cayenne pepper ups the overall heat.

Begin by cutting the stem from the chile and discarding.  Split the chile using a knife so that its seeds will also infuse the milk as it softens.  Add it to a small saucepan with the milk and cinnamon sticks. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pan, until small bubbles begin to form around the edge.  By now the chili should be much softer. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and let ingredients steep for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, finely chop the chocolate and add to a heat-proof bowl.

Once the milk has steeped, strain it through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the ancho chile to release any milk it has absorbed.  Rinse and dry the pan if there is any residue. 

Reheat strained milk in saucepan over medium-low heat.  Ladle ⅓ cup warm milk into the bowl of chocolate and whisk until smooth and melted.  Add chocolate and cayenne pepper to the saucepan and whisk over medium-low heat until the drink is completely melded and reaches your desired consistency.

Serve spicy chile hot chocolate in small portions such as demitasse or espresso cups and top with whipped cream and sprinkled cayenne for more heat .