Oh, the weather outside is certainly frightful! The frigid winter months can find us retreating into the safe and comforting warmth of our homes. So many gatherings take place in the home because these spaces bring us closer together.
With the weather growing colder, we can expect the frequency of those get-togethers to increase. As such, you might consider boosting your hosting abilities by incorporating more delicious treats for your guests to enjoy. Find out the best food pairings to serve with your Mexican hot chocolate.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
If you’ve never had Mexican hot chocolate before, you are missing out on an experience that will astound your tastebuds. You might think it will taste similar to the hot chocolates you’ve sipped on in the past, but that’s where you’re wrong. Mexican hot chocolate has a distinct flavor that puts it in its own league. So, what’s so different about it?
Mexican hot chocolate is a paste consisting of coarsely ground cacao, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chilies. You will notice it has a more granular consistency and texture due to the process of grinding those ingredients together to create the bricks. Yes, you prepare Mexican hot chocolate with hard, brick-like blocks that melt into your milk rather than stirring it in as you would with a powder mixture. This delicious drink is incredibly popular in Mexican culture, and when you taste it yourself, it’ll be easy to understand why.
Warm and Comforting
Is there anything more comforting than wrapping your cold hands around a warm cup of hot chocolate? It’s the type of drink that warms your body and sweetens your soul. That’s why hot chocolate is synonymous with the holiday season, making it the perfect drink to serve at your next gathering.
However, you might consider upping the ante by going for the dynamic and complex flavors of a Mexican hot chocolate. While this drink can stand alone on its own, you might consider expanding on its flavor profile by serving it with an accompaniment. That’s why we have provided you with this guide on the best foods to pair with your Mexican hot chocolate.
The Best Ingredients
Before you go about cooking your amazing pairings, know that your entire plan relies entirely on your Mexican hot chocolate. You want to ensure you’re providing your guests with a genuine, satisfactory experience. That’s why you can rely on our authentic Mexican hot chocolate, as it will quickly become a crowd favorite everyone won’t be able to get enough of.
At Verve Culture, we pride ourselves on creating products that are as close to their original creation as possible. In a word, authentic. In fact, we even carry the traditional Molinillo whisk that is essential when making homemade Mexican hot chocolate.
Check out our Mexican hot chocolate gift set; it makes the perfect holiday present for those of your guests who absolutely love this drink. This set comes with our delicious Villa Real chocolate, Molinillo whisk, and a genuine clay mug in which you traditionally serve this drink.
Pretzels
If you love chocolate-covered pretzels, then there’s no way you or your guests won’t love this pairing. It seems odd when you really think about it, but that salty and sweet combination is so satisfying for some reason. There are a couple of different ways you can serve pretzels with your Mexican hot chocolate.
For example, you can purchase pretzel rods and arrange them in a delicate spiral display. Keep in mind if you go with rods, your guests can use them to stir their drink, which will saturate the pretzel and provide the perfect opportunity to get those delicious salty-sweet flavors together.
Churros
You have likely had a churro before at least once in your life. There’s nothing that can quite compare to the pleasant feel of biting into that fried dough encrusted in sugar and cinnamon. Churros are certainly a flavorful experience in their own right, but when coupled with a Mexican hot chocolate, it’s something you won’t soon forget. Churros also add an excellent stirring and dipping component to your drink that will enhance the taste tenfold.
Roasted Nuts
Nuts are so incredibly versatile, and they make the perfect addition to nearly anything you serve them with. However, you might consider roasting your nuts to add a charred flavor and texture that will complement the cacao of the hot chocolate quite well.
Roasting nuts is quite simple. Preheat your oven to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Gather your favorite nuts and toss them on a pan to roast for about 7 minutes. You can also include a seasoning mixture of olive oil, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder to toss them in before placing them in the oven.
Sweet Breads
In Mexican culture and cuisine, it’s quite common to enjoy hot chocolate with a wide assortment of sweet bread. You might not be familiar with sweet breads or pan dulce, but these baked pastries are incredibly flavorful and popular in Mexico. The most common pan dulce are conchas, which look similar to the spiral pattern on a seashell.
You can find authentic sweet breads at your local Mexican grocery store, make them your own, or order them online. These pastries are an ideal match for Mexican hot chocolate—it’s a combination as perfect as peanut butter and jelly!
If you can’t find sweet breads, keep in mind that fluffy cakes also work as a fantastic substitute. The best cakes include angel food cake or sponge cake, as they don’t have excessive sweetness, which helps celebrate the flavor of the hot chocolate.
Popcorn
Popcorn keeps in the same vein with that iconic salty and sweet combination. The best part of this pairing option is that you can kill two hosting birds with one stone, as the popcorn provides a great opportunity for a fun craft. You can make popcorn garland with guests as you sip on Mexican hot chocolate and enjoy a bite or two.
Dried or Fresh Fruits
There’s never a bad time for fruit, whether dry or fresh. As such, you should consider adding a board of fresh fruit that will complement the rich flavor of your chocolate. The best fresh fruits to include are strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
Moreover, you can include a handful of dried fruit as well. Consider dried fruits like cherries or cranberries, as they provide an element of tartness to your drinks that will be a welcome addition.
