Drinking Chocolate
Written by Fiona   
Thursday, 12 February 2009

‘Hot chocolate’ should not be confused with ‘hot cocoa’ – their difference is immense, both in flavour and ingredient. Hot chocolate is made from bar chocolate which is dissolved in milk, whereas hot cocoa is made from powder.

 



Powdered cocoa, the lower fat option, originates from ground cacao beans, from which most of the rich cocoa butter is removed. Chocolate bars however, are made from cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter.

 

 

 

The history of chocolate can be traced back to about 5000BC, where its origin is believed to have been in South America but was popularized by the Aztecs during the late 14th century when they conquered Mexico and fell in love with this delightfully fragrant, spiced draft.

 


It wasn’t until the 1600’s that Hernan Cortes, at the Spanish Court, introduced cocoa to Europe. Remaining in beverage form, drinking chocolate quickly spread to France, Italy and England and in 1693 the first Chocolate House opened in London, to be consumed only by the noble.

 

 


Today, drinking chocolate is consumed by all, and is deliciously warming during the winter months. Some still melt chocolate bars in warm milk; some add powdered cocoa to milk and sweeten with sugar whilst others add water to a ready sweetened concoction which included powdered milk.

 

 

 


My favourite is that with bars of chocolate gently melted in a lightly spiced mélange of milk and cream.

 

 

 

 

800ml milk
200ml cream
40g plain chocolate – 60% cocoa
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne powder

 


Fiona
About the author:

I am a freelance Home Economist currently based in Paris, qualifying at the Totley Thornbridge college of Home Economics in Sheffield, England plus teacher training at King Alfred’s College, Winchester.

Work has been varied and interesting. I fondly remember my time with Family Circle magazine during my initial studies which, under the watchful eye of Pam Dotter, the then Food Editor, and fun loving Mitzie Wilson (recent editor of Delicious magazine), became and still remains my source of inspiration for recipe development and food writing.

My first full-time job was as manager of the Patisserie Section in the grand London store, Fortnum & Mason, gaining invaluable food retail management experience as well as involvement with F&M's flamboyant catering activities.

After this I worked with multi-national General Foods followed by Kraft Foods (which, incidentally, are now the same company) until deciding to undertake teacher training. This perfectly complimented my industrial Home Economics background and provided a wealth of opportunity for work, where ever our expatriate years lead us, teaching children as young as 4 years of age through to adults of quite unquestionable age.

Since leaving the UK in 1993 I have lived in Scandinavia and Europe and currently live in Paris, France with my husband and 2 children where my time is divided between teaching, recipe development and testing, food writing and cookery demonstrations.

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