Kathy Yannucci, owner of KASA Yoga & Wellness in Worthington, has roots in Colombia, South America. She loves making a traditional form of Chocolate Caliente, a.k.a. hot chocolate, for her family when the weather turns cold. Kathy shares her grandmother’s recipe with us using a brand of Colombian cacao known as Luker. What’s more sweet and satisfying for a quiet Valentine’s Day together than making warm cocoa for the one you love? A very Happy Valentine’s Day to you and those you hold dear. Enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk (coconut, almond, or cow’s milk)
- 4 teaspoons cane sugar
- 4 sticks cinnamon
- 4 cloves (optional)
- 4 pieces of unsweetened dark chocolate*
About this recipe
By Receta de Abuela and Kathy Yannucci
“My parents were born in Cali, Colombia. When they got married in 1972 they migrated to the US. I was born in 1973, and due to my parents having to deal with immigration issues in the U.S. my mother had to travel to Colombia to leave me with my abuelos (grandparents). I was about 9-months old at the time and stayed in Colombia for about a year with my abuelos. They helped take care of me, so, naturally, I became very close to them.
My grandfather worked for 20 years at Luker. He passed away many years ago but I am still very close to my abuela who still lives in Colombia.
When I make this hot chocolate it brings back memories of Colombia and my family there. It is a grounding experience for me. Chocolate is my ‘little pick me up.’”
Preparation
1.
Place water with sugar and bring to a boil.
2.
Then add the cinnamon and cloves to water/sugar mixture and let boil for a few minutes.
3.
Add chocolate pieces and boil until chocolate has melted completely.
4.
While this is cooking, take wooden spoon (bolinillo) and rotate back and forth to make mixture frothy.
5.
Add milk and let it boil for a few minutes.
6.
Serve and ENJOY!
Optional: Sometimes I like to take the whole mixture after it is finished cooking and place in the Vitamix or other blender to make it extra frothy! Remember to remove cinnamon sticks and cloves before doing this.
*Editor’s Note: Kathy uses Luker from Colombia, but you can substitute with your favorite brand.
Serves 4 cups
