Chili Pepper Chocolate: Recipe, Cooking Tips

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Chocolate with chili pepper is the oldest drink, which is revered even today by gourmets from all over the world. Piquancy, unusual taste, tart and rich smell create a unique range of sensations. The combination of cocoa beans and hot peppers is a whimsical symbiosis that makes you look at the taste of familiar chocolate in a new way. It is definitely worth trying it, and not only for the sake of new sensations, but also for the general tonic effect. Preparing this drink is quite simple, but with its taste and aroma characteristics it can surprise the most demanding audience.

Indians and chocolate

For the first time, the ancient Mayans and Aztecs guessed to use cocoa beans for food. It was in the pre-Columbian era that liquid chocolate was used by the Yucatan tribes for medicinal purposes. To do this, the Maya ground the beans to a powder state, mixed them with chili and corn, and after that they pouredwater, while whisking vigorously to form a characteristic foam. They drank chocolate from special bowls with a spout. The ancient Indians believed that this remedy would definitely give strength to warriors, alleviate the condition in especially hot weather and help heal the suffering.

After the conquest of the American continent, chocolate found its way into European cuisine, but it was valued so much that it was considered a gift from above. For some time, cocoa beans even served as a substitute for money, and only very we althy people could afford to make a drink from them. Some changes were also made: chocolate was left without chili pepper, turning into a dessert with the addition of sugar and cream.

Centuries have passed, but chocolate is still valued by mankind. And now its culinary use is much wider than in times past.

Benefits for the body

Chili chocolate has a lot of benefits for our body. Cocoa beans are a storehouse of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and trace elements. Chile is in no way inferior to them in terms of its indicators. In addition, it is able to normalize blood circulation and metabolism, break down fats and have a general tonic effect on the body. All this contributes to raising mood, vigor and can be an auxiliary element in the fight against excess weight.

Tips for making hot chocolate at home

Any recipe requires some subtleties. And here's the chocolate with pepper:

1. Don't use pre-ground pepper. Instead of a piquant taste and smell, youyou run the risk of getting bitterness without the slightest hint of refreshing notes, since you only need to prepare hot chocolate with fresh chili, from which all the seeds have been previously extracted.
2. In the process of cooking it is better to be in special gloves. The spicy pepper extract does not wash off your hands well, so you risk severe irritation if you suddenly want to scratch your eyes.
3. The classic combination is 25 grams of dark chocolate per 125 ml of milk (necessarily fatty, as the wateriness of a low-quality product will greatly spoil the taste). Such a portion may seem too small to you, but the thing is that chocolate turns out to be very rich in taste, so you need to drink it in small sips. In addition, hot chocolate is more savory than the more familiar bar.
4. If you still want a large serving, then take 25 grams of chocolate per 250 ml of full-fat milk. This ratio will also be very tasty, but less tart due to the greater amount of milk component.
5. The classic version uses chocolate, in which the percentage of cocoa beans is more than 70%. However, not everyone likes such bitterness. To soften the drink, dark chocolate can be slightly diluted with milk or part of the milk can be replaced with softer cream. But you should not add sugar to such a drink. This sweetness is contained in sufficient quantities in the tile, so there is a risk of overdoing it. In addition, the ancient Indians never sweetened their drink.
6. Chocolate should only be served hot. When it cools down, the tastebecomes less saturated and pronounced. Therefore, even if you accidentally brought in the kitchen and the chocolate had time to cool, it can and should be heated. Just don't overdo it. The finished drink should not be brought to a boil, otherwise it will be spoiled. However, the richness of chocolate taste when hot has a downside: it can quickly get boring. Therefore, you should not get carried away with such a drink.
7. Various spices and spices improve the taste of hot chocolate. You can start the experiment with orange peel. The chili version is for true gourmets and connoisseurs who love tartness and richness of flavors. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, mint and star anise can also decorate the composition. Chocolate is good with each of these spices both separately and in various variations. Everyone should just experiment and find their own unique taste.
8. For those who can't live without sweet notes, you can add various flavored syrups, nuts and honey with ground coffee.

How to make hot chocolate

Ingredients (for 2 people):

• bitter chocolate - 50 grams,
• whole milk - 2 cups,
• chili - 1 pepper,
• cinnamon - 1 stick,
• vanilla - half a stick.

Cooking:

1. Put the milk on a small fire. Add pepper, cinnamon and vanilla.
2. Melt the chocolate in milk, stirring gently (it is better to grate the chocolate first).
3. Simmer for a few more minutes, remove from heat and then let stand.
4. Strain. Serve hot (reheating is allowed, but not to the point of boiling).

How to cook without milk

Ingredients:

• ground coffee - 4 teaspoons,
• water - 300 ml, sugar - 10 grams,
• chocolate - 200 grams,
• chili/ginger/rum/cognac/ice cream to taste.

Cooking:

1. Make coffee.
2. Melt the chocolate and add it to the coffee.
3. Depending on desire, cognac, rum, chili, ginger or ice cream can be added to the finished drink.

Chocolate with spices

Ingredients (serves 2):

• chocolate (more than 70%) - 50 grams,
• milk - 2 cups,
• chili - 1 pepper,
• cinnamon - 5 grams,
• ground ginger - 1 gram,
• honey - 1 teaspoon,
• vanillin - to taste,
• sea s alt - 1 pinch.

Cooking:

1. Prepare the peppercorns: rinse well, cut and remove the seeds.
2. Sprinkle chili, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and s alt into milk. Put on a small fire.
3. Melt a large bar of chocolate in a steam bath.
4. When the milk is warm, remove the pepper from it, pour in the chocolate and honey.
5. Keep on heat until the chocolate reaches the desired consistency.

If you want a thicker consistency, add onthe final step is a little cocoa or cornstarch.

Chocolate: drink, read, watch

- What do you confess?- Chocolate!

These words became widely known thanks to the film adaptation of Joan Harris's book "Chocolate". And are there people who will not agree with the heroines of the book and the film? What picture opens up to the viewer when Armande Voisin enters Vienne Rocher's shop? The shelves are filled with chocolate creations: cakes, sweets, cookies, individual chocolate-pepper bars and rounds in coconut sprinkles. And at this time, nearby, in a small pot, melted chocolate is slightly smoking. Armande is in a bad mood, and Wienne serves her a cup of hot chocolate, first sprinkling chili peppers and whipped cream on the fragrant perfection. Armanda tastes the treat and smiles blissfully.

I believe that the most important thing in the world is to be happy! Happiness. Undemanding, like a glass of chocolate, or difficult, like a heart. Bitter. Sweet. The present. (Joan Harris "Chocolate")

So, want to experience the same incomparable pleasure? Then we prepare chocolate with chili peppers and whipped cream according to the recipe of the works of the same name.

Chocolate with chili and cream

Ingredients (serves 2):

• black chocolate (minimum 70%) - 140 grams,
• 20% cream - 100 ml,
• water - 200 ml,
• ground chili - 5 pinches,
• refined with cinnamon - 30 grams,
• cream - 10 grams.

Cooking:

1. Breaking a large chocolate bar into small pieces.
2. Mix heavy cream with purified water and put on fire. When the first signs of boiling appear, add chocolate and sugar.
3. We continue to cook, but on a very low heat, we do not stop stirring so that the chocolate and sugar dissolve properly.
4. Leave the chocolate on the stove for some more time so that it sweats a little and becomes even more fragrant.
5. Whipping cream. To do this, take a deep bowl, sift the icing sugar through a sieve and pour in the chilled cream (the cream should be chilled, since at this temperature it is easier for them to rise). Start beating until creamy.
6. Pour the chocolate, sprinkle with chili and garnish with whipped cream.

Orange exotic

This recipe for dark chocolate with chili and orange is sure to please true gourmets.

Ingredients:

• black chocolate - 60 grams,
• fat cream - 70 ml,
• milk - 80 ml,
• brown sugar - 10 grams,
• cocoa - 10 grams,
• ground chili - a quarter of a teaspoon,
• orange juice - 1 tbsp. spoon,
• orange zest (half fruit).

Cooking:

1. Break the tile.
2. Mix milk, cream, juice, zest, chili, cocoa and sugar. Warm up.
3. Pour the resulting mixture into chocolate (through a strainer) and stir well.
4. Spilldrink in cups, garnish with cream and remaining zest.

This is the perfect drink to start your morning or end a hard day at work.