Preheat oven to 300°F / 150°C. Spread the cacao nibs out into one layer on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake them for 12 minutes. Grind with a food processor or mortar and pestle.

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. If making the cacao nib version, I recommend lining your 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.