Caribbean Cocoa Tea

This charming, hot drink from the Caribbean is a combination of roasted cacao, milk, and spices. Although called cocoa tea or chocolate tea, it technically isn't a tea at all. It would fall closer to being considered a hot chocolate. Closer.. yet still completely different. Heavy and robust with a deep chocolate flavour that is warmed with spices and sweetened a touch, this Caribbean cocoa tea will likely be unlike anything you've tried before.

this recipe

This beverage is served with breakfast in countries all over the Caribbean. While drank year round, it is popularly enjoyed at Christmastime. The method of making it can vary by island, with some using thickeners, bay leaves or star anise, and others not. Some simmer the milk with the cocoa, some add it in at the end, and others completely omit it. The spices cinnamon and nutmeg are pretty standard in use throughout.

For another delicious drink perfect for warming you up in cooler weather, I recommend that you try Korean cinnamon ginger punch for its wonderful flavour and health benefits.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Equipment
• Substitutions
• 📖 Recipe
• F.A.Q.

Ingredients

Caribbean cocoa tea is traditionally made using 'cocoa balls'. To make these, cocoa beans are roasted in the sun for about a week to dry and intensify in flavour, before being ground and spiced, then shaped into golf ball-sized spheres, or sometimes sticks. These balls are usually grated into a powder before being used in making this drink, though some people just melt the whole balls in water.

However, because these cocoa balls are difficult to acquire in most other parts of the world, I am going to show you a recipe variation using cacao nibs. Roasted cacao nibs have a very similar flavour. They do, however, have much less fat content than Caribbean cocoa balls, so the resulting drink won't have the notable 'slick of oil' that is found on top of authentic cocoa tea. In case you do get your hands on some balls, I will include the instructions to make the traditional version as well.

• Cacao nibs
• Water
• Bay leaf
• Cinnamon stick
• Cornstarch
• Milk
• Condensed milk - or another sweetener of your choice
• Pure vanilla extract
• Freshly ground nutmeg

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F / 150°C. Spread the cacao nibs out onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet in one layer. Bake them for 12 minutes. They will begin smell like warm brownies. Be careful not to overcook and burn them.

Next you will need to grind the roasted cacao nibs. I used a food processor to make quick work of this. You could also use a mortar and pestle to get the job done.

Note: If you have authentic cocoa balls, simply grate them into a fine powder. They are already roasted.

Bring 2 cups of water with a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in your cocoa (whether using roasted and ground cacao nibs, or grated cocoa ball powder). Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Set it aside for now.

Stir milk and condensed milk (or honey, if you prefer) into the cocoa tea. Stir in the slurry and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the pure vanilla extract and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Pour the cocoa tea through a sieve and discard the solids. When making the cacao nib version, I recommend lining the sieve with cheesecloth to help remove any grit. Taste test the tea and adjust the sweetener to your preference.

Serve Caribbean cocoa tea nice and hot in mugs. Because of the fat content in cocoa, it is normal for the chocolate to destabilize if sitting out too long. Just give the drinks a stir to fix this if this occurs.

Equipment

To make this recipe with cacao nibs, you will need a baking sheet, parchment paper, cheesecloth, a medium-sized saucepan, and either a food processor or a mortar and pestle for grinding with.

Substitutions

You can substitute the condensed milk with another sweetener of your choice, such as honey.

To make a vegan variation of Caribbean cocoa tea, use unsweetened almond or coconut milk instead of dairy. And sweeten with coconut condensed milk or palm sugar.

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📖 Recipe

F.A.Q.