Mexican hot chocolate is usually made from a hockey puck looking disk of bitter chocolate that already has the sugar in it. Usually it is blended with hot water or milk and seasoned with cinnamon and coffee flavors. Canela, the Spanish word for cinnamon, also known as Ceylon cinnamon, is a true cinnamon that is used frequently in Mexican cooking. A native of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), it is also a primary ingredient in Indian, African and Asian foods as well. Its floral, complex taste sets it apart from cassia, the bark that most often substitutes for true cinnamon. The thin and fragile bark of canela makes it highly perishable, so it is best to use and grind it only as needed. Naturally, it is good for myriad sweet dishes like cakes, cookies, pies and ice cream, and is the penultimate accompaniment for anything chocolate.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh-ground coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon or canela
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Regular bananas
- Small bananas, like Manzano or red
- Strawberries, with stem
- Marshmallows
- Toasted cubes pound cake
- Pineapple chunks
- Anjou or Bartlett pear slices, unpeeled
- Fried wonton wrappers
- Bing cherries, with stem
Instructions
- Equipment: Fondue pot; fondue forks or wooden or metal skewers
- In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch to blend. Slowly whisk in the cream; then the milk, coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a stainless steel saucepan and gently bring it to a boil. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until melted. Using a fine-meshed sieve over a large bowl, strain the chocolate mixture and discard the solids. Pour into a warmed fondue pot and serve with assorted dippers and fondue forks.
Reviews
Made this for a Mexican-themed dinner party dessert…very yummy! Leftovers were great, too. I used leftover coffee from breakfast and vanilla extract so I didn’t need to strain it. Only complaint: I used bittersweet choco chips & wasn’t sure what measurement to use. I took a guess and it turned out fine.
It is one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I did replace the bittersweet chocolate with semisweet though.
I made this fondue last night as part of a Cinco de Mayo menu and my guests raved about it. I couldn’t find a whole vanilla bean so I had to substitute a (good) vanilla extract. Also, I don’t have a fine mesh sieve so I used what I had but even with a few coffee grounds in the fondue, it was very well received. I will definitely be making it again.
This was the best chocolate fondue I’ve ever eaten! We ate the leftovers cold as a really great pudding!
This was without a doubt some of the best stuff I have ever had. A great, rich, chocolatey experience. I saved the leftovers and put it on biscuits the next day.
i brought this to a potluck party, and it got raves. everyone wanted to know what was in it!