Mexican Chocolate Sauce
Did you know?
No excuse is usually needed for eating chocolate, but if you should require one, here are a couple to choose from:
- Cacao was first cultivated by the indigenous peoples of Mexico, so it is one of the most Mexican of foods.
- Chocolate was used by ancient Mexicans as both a currency (cacao beans were “money”) and to make a bitter drink enjoyed only by the elite.
This is a basic recipe, a starting place. Don´t be afraid to tweak the ingredient proportions according to taste and/or to the use you will give your chocolate sauce. Increase or decrease the sugar to your liking. Omit the liqueur, if you prefer. Use more cream for a looser, more pourable sauce; use more solid chocolate for a thicker sauce that will harden more upon cooling (for use as a ganache or for making chocolate truffles, for example).
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or grated, or 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa
- 1 tablespoon sugar
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Melt the chocolate. The chocolate does not need to actually cook at all, just melt completely. Use one of the following methods:
Microwave method: Place chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Cook in microwave for a minute or so, making sure to stir every 20 seconds. Stop microwaving when mixture is smooth.Direct stove-top method: Place chocolate and cream in saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth. (Note: Be very careful when using this method, as a moment of inattention can lead to the chocolate’s burning).
Hot water bath method: Place chocolate and cream in a metal bowl. Place the bowl in pan of very hot water in such a way that the water comes one-third to half the way up the sides of the bowl. Stir ingredients gently until mixture is smooth. -
Stir in the cinnamon, coffee liqueur, and sugar. Pour into a serving dish and enjoy.
Any leftover sauce can be stored in a tightly covered glass jar in the refrigerator for a week or so. Reheat before using.