The weather may be warming up, but that doesn't mean that I am ready to give up hot chocolate. Nothing starts a morning quite like a warm, sweet cup of hot chocolate and no hot chocolate warms you up like the spicy aroma of Mexican hot chocolate. Sure you can buy a mix, but why bother when you have lovely, fresh spices in your AllSpice rack?
Mexican hot chocolate is one of those great recipes that lends itself to experimentation. Start with whatever milk you prefer. It is great with evaporated milk, but also tastes wonderful with whole milk, or any non-dairy milk. Warm it on the stove and add your chocolate. We like solid chocolate, like chocolate chips or chunks, but it works with cocoa powder as well. Add sweeteners (honey, sugar or agave), cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne and vanilla to taste. One particularly appetizing recipe we found included a coconut whipped cream. Also, a long cinnamon stick can make a beautiful addition.
Mexican grocery stores sell a beautiful tool for mixing the hot chocolate. It is a wonderful addition to the kitchen, but the hot chocolate can just as well be whisked with your standard whisk.