Spicy Hot Chocolate
This recipe has been developed from a recipe created by Megan May at Little Bird, and from my enjoyment of Little Bird Hot Chocolates in the depth of winter, when all you want is something warm and comforting in your belly.
The key to this recipe is the quality of the almond milk you use. Home made almond milk is absolutely the best, followed by fresh almond milk that you can buy in the fresh section of the supermarket. My favourite brand is Nutty Bruce, but every week a new option appears on the shelves, so try the new ones and establish your favourite.
If you’re using UHT almond milk with a very low percentage of almonds in it, try adding 1 T of raw cashews when frothing in the blender, as this will add creaminess to the hot chocolate.
This recipe also uses raw cacao, and many people ask me about the difference between cocoa powder and raw cacao. Raw cacao is made by pressing unroasted cacao beans, which removes the fat content (cacao butter) but not the enzymes, leaving it full of minerals and antioxidants that are very potent for our health. Cocoa powder on the other hand, is made from cacao beans that have been roasted, which reduces the enzyme content and lowers the nutritional value. For this reason I only every keep raw cacao in my pantry as nutritionally it gives much more bang for your buck, but tastes almost identical.
When pregnant we need to be mindful of the amount of chocolate we consume, as it is heating to our bodies and can be aggravating if your system is inflammed or sensitive. If you have any sort of skin disorder in your pregnancy, this recipe is not for you. This hot chocolate is perfect for cooler winter months, the spices warm your body gently without aggravating. Combining the cacao with almond milk and coconut sugar, removes the inflammatory ingredients of the cows milk and sugar, which are often more aggravating than the cacao itself.
This way we get to enjoy the comfort and yumminess of hot chocolate, but in a form that is packed full of nutrient dense ingredients that nourish our bodies.
Ingredients:
2 cups almond milk
1 ½ T coconut sugar or 1 T maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger powder
⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder
A splash of vanilla extract
2T cacao powder
1tsp coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Put 1 cup of the almond milk, the coconut sugar, the coconut oil, the spices, vanilla and the salt on a low heat in a small saucepan. Stir constantly with a whisk and allow to come to a gentle simmer for a few minutes. The coconut oil should be well dissolved by now.
Place this mixture, the cacao powder and the other cup of almond milk in the blender and blend on high for approximately 20 seconds. (If using UHT almond milk at this point also add 1 T of raw cashew nuts) This should emulsify the coconut oil and add some froth to the mixture.
Return to the saucepan and heat until approximately 60 degrees C, or the right temperature for drinking. Don’t allow it to come to a boil as this will affect the good properties in the cacao.