A hot chocolate espresso machine may seem like a crazy idea, but it’s not! If you have an espresso machine already, you can use it to make some of the best hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted.
Hot chocolate has a long history, going back to the ancient Mayan and Inca tribes in South America – and it quickly gained popularity after the Spanish Conquistadors brought back chocolate to Europe.
Today, hot chocolate is often seen as a childish beverage – but nothing could be further from the truth. If you use a hot chocolate espresso machine to make hot chocolate, you’ll enjoy a delicious, complex beverage that’s nothing like other types of hot chocolate that are common today! Here’s what you need to know about making hot chocolate in an espresso machine.
- You’ll Need High Quality Roasted Cacao Beans
While you could use cocoa powder, or even a packet of powder-based hot chocolate, neither of these will deliver spectacular results. Processed cocoa powder is quite bitter and lacks the complexity of cocoa beans.You’ll need to source some roasted cocoa beans to use in your espresso machine. You may be able to find them at a local world market, or at an independent chocolatier. Using whole roasted beans and grinding them yourself is the best way to release all of the flavors and complexity inherent in chocolate.
- You’ll Need A Separate Grinder For Your Cocoa Beans
Got a high-quality burr grinder you use for your coffee every day? Great! But don’t even think about putting cocoa beans in there!
Cocoa beans have a high fat content, and if you grind them in your everyday coffee grinder, they’ll clog it up and damage the internal components. In addition, the coffee will flavor your cocoa – and vice versa. You don’t want that.
Get a separate grinder to for your cocoa beans. While most coffee snobs scoff at blade grinders, they’re ideal for cocoa. They are easy to clean and use, and can provide a powdery, even, and fine grind when used properly. Best of all, they’re very cheap – so pick one up for use exclusively with cocoa.
It may take some time to get the right grind. You want a very fine, powdery grind, just like you would if you were making espresso with coffee beans. It’s important to get the grind right so that the water extracts all of the flavor from the cocoa.
- Your Drink Won’t Taste Like Traditional, Powder-Based Hot Chocolate
If you’re expecting a milky, sugary-sweet cup of hot cocoa, prepare for disappointment! Today’s packet-based hot chocolate uses a minimal amount of cocoa, and incorporates quite a bit of sugar and powdered milk, as well as artificial flavors and sweeteners.
While this may be delicious, it’s not what you’ll get when you use a hot chocolate espresso maker. The beverage you get from your espresso maker when using cocoa will be rich and have a nearly broth-like lather, but it will likely be quite bitter if you’re used to traditional hot chocolate.
However, this is quite close to the traditional kind of hot cocoa that was consumed in ancient South American civilizations. Cocoa beans were ground up, mixed with water and other spices, and moved between a cup and boiling pot until a thick foam developed.
The result was xoc?l?tl – which has a bitter, yet intriguing taste, and is similar in many ways to wine and coffee.
Of course, you can always add a bit of cream and sugar yourself if you’d like – but we recommend keeping this minimal. Enjoy the bitter and unique taste of your hot chocolate “espresso”, and don’t cover it up with other flavors!
Try Using A Hot Chocolate Espresso Machine Today – And Try This Unique Beverage!
If you already have a traditional espresso machine, then you already have a hot chocolate espresso machine! Swap those coffee beans for cocoa beans, and enjoy a cup of delicious, bitter, and steamy hot chocolate now!
