← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 50 g grated cocoa ball or cocoa stick (or 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 500 ml Water
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaves
• 1 strip of orange peel (optional)
• 500 ml milk or evaporated milk
• 3 tbsp brown sugar or condensed milk, to taste
• 1 pinch Salt
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Put the cocoa, water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and orange peel (if using) in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, whisking.
2. Simmer gently for 8–10 min, whisking now and then, until the cocoa has melted and the liquid is rich and fragrant.
3. Add the milk, sugar and salt and heat for 5 min without letting it boil.
4. Stir in the nutmeg and vanilla, strain into mugs and whisk or swizzle until frothy.

Tips

• Cocoa balls (pure ground cacao with spice) are sold in Caribbean shops; they leave a little oil on top, which is part of the charm.
• A teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water thickens it, the way many grandmothers made it.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

CaribbeanPot.com Jamaicans.com