Hot Chocolate, 2 Ways

The classic winter drink as we know and love it is rich and milky-sweet, but its ancient Mayan ancestor was a much more bitter—though better-for-you—brew

Spanish-style drinking chocolate is rich and velvety, and best served in smaller portions. Jennifer McGruther

When winter’s cold hits hard, there’s nothing quite like a warm cup of hot chocolate. Sweet, rich, and milky, it’s a favorite of kids and grown-ups alike.

The drink, however, is rooted in ancient Mayan traditions. With its light-hearted sweetness, modern-day hot chocolate bears little resemblance to the original version, which was a dark, bitter brew infused with fragrant spices.

Chocolate is made from the pod of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), which is indigenous to Central America but is now cultivated in warm climates worldwide. When opened, the hard-shelled pod reveals large, dark seeds covered by a fragrant, milky white film. These seeds ferment quickly, especially in the tropical heat. After fermenting, they’re roasted. With roasting, the seeds turn brittle, and that milky white coating browns and becomes papery. Winnowing, or sifting, to remove that papery skin reveals the seed or cacao nib.

As is, cacao nibs can be used in baking and are a favorite of health-conscious influencers who add them to granolas, smoothies, and the like. But in the Mayan world, the nibs are ground down to form a paste using an ancient stone tool called a metate. As the nibs are ground, they release cocoa butter and soften to a slightly gritty paste that smells of dark chocolate touched by bitter notes of coffee.

Traditionally, indigenous people of Central America mix the chocolate paste with water, ground corn, and spices such as chile, annatto, and allspice. It produced a thin, potently bitter brew spiked with enough chile to catch in your throat. Lacking sugar, the chile helps to offset the drink’s bitterness. It’s this drink that was prized in the ancient Mayan culture and still holds a place of honor in spiritual ceremonies and rituals today.

Chocolate Meets Europe

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico, they tried the bitter brew. It provided sustenance and fortified their bodies against exhaustion. Hernán Cortés, who brutally claimed Mexico on behalf of Spain, described chocolate in 1519 as “the divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue,” noting that a single cup could allow his men to walk a day without food.

Chocolate contains caffeine, which both acts as a stimulant and helps to dull the appetite. So while it’s doubtful that a single cup of spiced cacao could provide enough sustenance for an entire day’s work, it certainly can boost energy and fight hunger pangs.

On their return to Spain, the Spanish brought cocoa beans and the tradition of drinking chocolate with them. In Europe, the bitter brew was softened by the inclusion of milk and sugar. These sweet additions took the edge off cacao’s aggressive bitterness, making it more palatable. Those fragrant and colorful spices, annatto and chile, were largely abandoned and common European medicinal herbs and spices were added instead. Dandelion root, another bittersweet herb, was a popular addition, as was chicory root and even Icelandic moss.

Nowadays, adding moss and stray roots to your winter cup of hot cocoa may seem anathema, or at the very least quite strange, but these herbs were in common use at the time. For centuries after its introduction to Europe, chocolate itself was considered more medicine than confection. Mixing it with other herbal medicines made sense. In European folk medicine, chocolate was recommended for all sorts of complaints. According to apothecaries and chocolate houses, hot chocolate was a sort of panacea that could cure everything from digestive complaints to malaria, but it was particularly prized for increasing weight to help women achieve a desirable plumpness, easing lung conditions such as cough and asthma, and fighting fatigue.

Cacao’s Medicinal Properties

While the health claims of 18th-century apothecaries may seem a little dubious, current research suggests they were on the right track. Chocolate is a rich source of caffeine, which can stimulate the nerves and fight fatigue. It is also a decent source of calories, especially in combination with sugar and whole milk, which may increase weight depending on how much you consume—though, whether that effect is as desirable now as it was 200 years ago is questionable. Further, a few studies have found that cacao may indeed support lung health.

Cacao is a rich source of polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants that link chocolate with a healthier heart, according to research published in the Reviews of Cardiovascular Medicine. Animal studies have similarly pointed to potential benefits for asthmatics, and these benefits are likely due to both its rich complement of antioxidants as well as its caffeine and theobromine, which are bronchodilators and help to relax the airways and encourage airflow in the lungs.

Most of the research showing the benefits of chocolate point to minimally processed, unsweetened cacao rather than milky sweet hot chocolate. So if you’re after some of cacao’s benefits or want a healthier option this winter, you might opt for a more traditional version of hot chocolate, leaving out the sugar and mixing it with fragrant spices closer to the ancient Mayan tradition.

Cinnamon, allspice, chile powder, and earthy-sweet annatto flavor this Mayan-inspired hot chocolate. Jennifer McGruther

Mayan Hot Chocolate (Xocolatl)

Traditional Mayan chocolate recipes use a type of minimally processed, unsweetened chocolate paste called chocolate de metate. It tastes incredibly bitter and slightly acidic. Spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and chile powder cut its bitter notes, while annatto provides color and a sort of earthy sweetness. Baking chocolate, which lacks any sugar, is a good substitute for chocolate de metate; however, semisweet chocolate is a good option in this recipe.

Serves 2

• 1 cup water
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground annatto, optional
• Pinch of chile powder (not chili powder)

Heat 12 ounces of water to 180 degrees F.

While the water heats up, place the chocolate and spices into a small glass pitcher. Pour the water over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate melts completely and turns frothy. Serve immediately.

Drinking Chocolate (Chocolate a la Taza)

Spanish-style drinking chocolate is rich and velvety. Small portions are the key to this intense, thick style of hot chocolate. For a sweeter version, substitute milk chocolate. In addition, consider adding almond or vanilla extract, or a pinch of cinnamon for flavor. Drinking chocolate is often served with cinnamon-dusted churros for dipping.

Serves 4

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely grated

Pour the milk into a small saucepan, turn on the heat, and then whisk in the cornstarch until it dissolves. When the cornstarch is fully dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat.

When it begins to simmer and steam, at about 180 degrees F, turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate is fully melted, and then return it to the stove at medium heat. Stir constantly until thickened, and serve hot.

Spanish-style drinking chocolate is rich and velvety, and best served in smaller portions. Jennifer McGruther