How to make the cup · Nantli Cacao

Our cacao arrives as a solid block rather than a powder, because nothing was taken out of it. That changes how you handle it and almost nothing else.

How much

15 to 20 grams for a daily cup.
30 to 40 grams when you want the full effect.

Start at the lower end. This is stronger than what most people are used to, and the sensible move is to find your amount rather than be told it.

To measure it out, shave what you need off the block with a knife, over a cutting board. A serrated knife gives the best results: fine shavings that melt fast and smooth, with no lumps left at the bottom of the cup.

Heat, and not too much of it

Chop the block so it melts evenly. It gives way between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius, well below boiling, so the water or milk should be hot and never at a rolling boil. Scorched cacao tastes scorched, and there is no fixing it afterwards.

Spices and honey, if you like

None of this is needed. The cup stands on its own, and it is worth tasting it plain first. If you want to take it somewhere, a good rule is that things that grow near each other tend to taste right together.

Chilli: a pinch of dried chilli, the way cacao was drunk long before sugar arrived.
Vanilla: a split pod or a few drops of extract. Like cacao, vanilla is native to the forests of Mesoamerica.
Cardamom: two or three crushed pods. Guatemala is one of the largest cardamom growers in the world, and most of it comes from Alta Verapaz, the same department as our farmers.
Cinnamon: a stick in the pot while it heats, taken out before you mix.

Spices go into the pot with the cacao, so they warm through together. Honey goes in last, off the heat, stirred in to taste: it keeps its flavour better that way.

Mixing

By hand: a small whisk and half a minute of brisk work in the pot.
With a molinillo: roll the handle between your palms in the hot drink until it froths.
In a blender: 10 to 15 seconds. Take the centre cap off the lid or cover it with a towel, because hot liquid builds pressure.
With a milk frother: if you want the silkiest foam, this is the tool. A few seconds in the cup is enough.

Keeping it

Cool, dry, out of direct sun. Because it is refined and tempered it holds its texture for at least 24 months, usually longer.

Cacao opens your heart. The cup is just how it gets there.

How much

15 to 20 grams for a daily cup.

30 to 40 grams when you want the full effect.

Start at the lower end. This is stronger than what most people are used to, and the sensible move is to find your amount rather than be told it.

Spices and honey, if you like

Chilli: a pinch of dried chilli, the way cacao was drunk long before sugar arrived.

Vanilla: a split pod or a few drops of extract. Like cacao, vanilla is native to the forests of Mesoamerica.

Cardamom: two or three crushed pods. Guatemala is one of the largest cardamom growers in the world, and most of it comes from Alta Verapaz, the same department as our farmers.

Cinnamon: a stick in the pot while it heats, taken out before you mix.

Spices go into the pot with the cacao, so they warm through together. Honey goes in last, off the heat, stirred in to taste: it keeps its flavour better that way.

Mixing

By hand: a small whisk and half a minute of brisk work in the pot.

With a molinillo: roll the handle between your palms in the hot drink until it froths.

In a blender: 10 to 15 seconds. Take the centre cap off the lid or cover it with a towel, because hot liquid builds pressure.

With a milk frother: if you want the silkiest foam, this is the tool. A few seconds in the cup is enough.