Mayan Hot Chocolate #Cholaca #ChocolateOrangeStout (Breckenridge Brewery)

“This Mayan hot chocolate is fused with the flavor of cinnamon, orange and allspice. Add in some vanilla bean, chocolate stout and orange juice and you have a rich, dairy free drink, worthy of the Mayan gods!”

In this busy world there often isn’t enough time to sit back and relax. A few Saturdays ago I found myself at Breckenridge Brewery in the morning munching scones and drinking a product called Cholaca. Pure liquid cacao is something I don’t think twice about putting in my body, especially when it is sourced from co-ops that utilize sustainable farming practices. Cholaca, a company based in Boulder, (where else?) makes three varieties of liquid chocolate. Unsweetened, lightly sweetened and sweetened, only using coconut sugar Cholaca is  organic, vegan and gluten free. Their products are sold in the refrigerated cases at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Amazon and various other grocers.

Cholaca is so good and so easy to use that a myriad of brewers are also using it to brew some fabulous concoctions. You may have wondered why I’d be sipping chocolate at a brewery? Breckenridge Brewery came out with an outstanding Chocolate Orange Stout as part of its seasonal Nitro Series using Cholaca. The  velvety texture of the nitrogen head make this an easy winter drink, whether straight from the can or heaven forbid…a glass! This stout is so mellow with hints of chocolate and orange that I can easily sip this all day. Many stouts IMO, are just too heavy and rich, but this one is “just right”, says Mama Bear.

Cholaca is free of emulsifiers, additives,and preservatives which makes it easy for brewers to use. Often manufacturers have used cacao nibs which may contain organisms that clog filters and  leave tank residue. In Cholaca’s case the nibs are milled and heated and made into liquid cacao using a unique process that makes this stuff so good. I’m not joking. Their unsweetened chocolate is available online, and after trying it in this hot chocolate recipe, I’ve got to say this is the mellowest, least bitter, unsweetened chocolate I’ve ever eaten. You almost don’t need to add sugar. Please send more!!!

After taking a tour of Breckenridge Brewery we were able to sample a few products made with Cholaca. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to the Brewery; it is close to me so I’ve been a few times. It is always a good time. Maybe it’s my Midwestern roots that make me feel so at home in a farm house. Picture a giant stone fireplace and open rafters, quilts thrown over chairs, a view of the Front Range that could be a postcard, long picnic tables out front, giant windows and wood floors, well then; you already have an idea of what the Brewery looks like. If you come to Denver don’t miss it. You can even bike there from downtown!

 

In our case the chef made special foods that would blend well with the Chocolate Orange Stout. The eggplant bruschetta would be perfect for a New Year’s Eve appetizer as would the steak/shishito pepper that they also served. But if you go to the brewery on your own, be sure to have a tour and a tasting, and for sure make sure to order their biscuits in a cast iron pan with smoked butter and fresh preserves. Oh my!

yield: 4 servingsAuthor: Abbe Odenwalderprint recipe

Mayan Hot Chocolate

This Mayan hot chocolate is fused with the flavor of cinnamon, orange and allspice. Add in some vanilla bean, chocolate stout and orange juice and you have a rich drink worthy of the Mayan gods!

prep time: 15 MINScook time: total time: 15 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c water OR 1 c cholaca, and 1/2 c stout, and 1/2 c orange juice
• 3 T honey
• 1 t allspice
• 1/4 t ground cinnamon
• Seeds scraped from 1/2 a vanilla bean OR 3/4 t vanilla
• 2.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 can stout (used above and extra for topping the hot chocolate)
• Whipped Topping, Candied Orange Slices, Chopped Chocolate for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a saucepan, bring water OR cholaca, stout and orange juice, with honey, allspice, cinnamon and vanilla to a simmer.
2. Pour over chopped chocolate and whisk together until chocolate is melted and the mixture is emulsified. Strain into mugs and top off with stout or not. Add your choice of garnishes. Sit back in front of a roaring fire and enjoy.

Created using The Recipes Generator

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Here’s a few more chocolate favorites:
Chocolate Fudge Loaf Cake
Cincinnati Chili
Chili Mac Three Ways
Orange Cacao Roasted Paiche

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