With chili, banana, coconut: unusual cocoa recipes

According to legend, cocoa was discovered in the sixteenth century thanks to Spanish colonizers. It was they who brought cocoa powder to Europe, where, until the seventeenth century, having cocoa at home was a symbol of wealth.

In fact, the ancient Aztecs started making the drink more than three thousand years ago. Back then, only men and shamans drank it: they ground cocoa beans into powder, then added cold water, vanilla, hot pepper, and other spices. Inspired by their experiments, the FoodOboz editorial team shares with you some unusual cocoa recipes: with chili peppers, mashed banana, coconut milk, nuts, and citrus.

Cocoa with chili

• milk - 300 ml
• cocoa powder - 10 g
• extra dark chocolate - 25 g
• ground chili pepper - to taste
• vanilla sugar - to taste

1. Bring the milk to a boil, but do not boil. As soon as the first bubbles appear, reduce the heat to low.
2. Combine cocoa with chili, mix well, and gradually add the mixture to the hot milk, stirring constantly.
3. Add the chocolate to the milk (break it into pieces beforehand) and stir until the chocolate is completely dissolved
4. Add vanilla sugar, stir, bring to a boil again, and immediately remove from heat.

Banana cocoa

• ripe banana - 2 pcs.
• cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
• milk - 500 ml
• sugar - 2 tbsp.

1. Peel the bananas, mash them with a fork, or grind them in a blender.
2. Pour milk into a saucepan, heat, and add cocoa, stirring constantly with a whisk.
3. Add mashed banana and sugar, and mix well until smooth.
4. Bring to a boil, but do not boil. As soon as the first bubbles appear, remove them from the heat and pour them into cups.

Coconut cocoa

• cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• coconut milk - 150 ml
• water - 100 ml
• sugar - to taste

1. Mix the milk with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. As soon as the first bubbles appear, reduce the heat to low, add cocoa and sugar, and mix well.
3. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.

Nut cocoa

• milk - 250 ml
• low-fat cream - 30 ml
• cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• roasted nuts - a handful
• nutmeg - a pinch
• sugar or syrup - to taste

1. Grind the nuts into crumbs. Mix with cocoa and nutmeg.
2. Heat the milk as soon as it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, and add cocoa and nuts, stirring constantly.
3. Add sugar or syrup and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Citrus cocoa

• milk - 1.5 cups
• cocoa powder - 2 tbsp.
• sugar - 2 tbsp (or to taste)
• ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
• nutmeg - a pinch
• orange zest - 1 tbsp.

1. Bring the milk to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and add all the other ingredients.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for about three minutes.