| Main ingredient: Chocolate. Contains dairy. |
Jamaican cocoa balls make a unique type of hot chocolate different to its European counterpart. Intense and rich. Gleaming with residual cocoa fat at the end after boiling that has to be skimmed off to prevent burnt lips! This hot drink was traditionally served with an ackee and saltfish breakfast on Sundays, Christmas and other special moments in retro enamel mugs. You will need a grater and a sieve. Condensed milk is the cultural sweetener of Jamaican coffee and chocolate tea, but feel free to substitute with sugar, milk/plant milk, though not quite authentic, but delicious nonetheless as everyone has their way of making it. This recipe serves 4.
Ingredients
- 2 Jamaican chocolate balls
- 600ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick or 2 dried Jamaican cinnamon leaves
- 1 tsp grated Jamaican nutmeg
- 400ml coconut milk
- Condensed milk to sweeten to taste (vegans substitute with coconut condensed milk)
Method
- Finely grate chocolate balls onto a plate.
- In a large saucepan add water, cinnamon and nutmeg and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add the grated chocolate and coconut milk, stir and simmer for 15 minutes.
- When ready, skim off any residual cocoa fat, remove the spices and strain the liquid equally amongst 4 mugs and sweeten to taste with condensed milk or your preferred sweetener.
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