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.

What is Caribbean cocoa tea?

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.

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 regular version as well.

How to make it

Cacao nibs version:

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 twelve minutes. They will begin smell like warm brownies. Be careful not to overcook and burn them.

Next you will need to grind the 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.

Chocolate ball version:

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

Both versions:

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

f.a.q.

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