As the weather turns colder and the holiday season approaches, its time to start thinking about a hot and comforting treat! Enter the wooden device that looks like it could be a baby rattle or something of a rattle snake. What is it? A molinillo (moh-lee-NEE-yo)! These wood turned beauties are the tool of choice for making a delicious and frothy Mexican Hot Chocolate.
You may have seen “Mexican Hot Chocolate” popping up in a coffee shops these days as a spicy chocolate beverage. Typically in Mexico, however, hot chocolate (aka chocolate caliente), is not spiked with hot pepper but rather cinnamon or vanilla for a lightly sweetened and flavorful treat. The chocolate of choice is usually a textured Abuelita or Ibarra – and its a feud just as Coca Cola or Pepsi! Also found regionally (near the hometown of Adalberto) is a similar chocolate, called Fronterra. (You can see from the ‘clumpiness’ in our mix that we use this textured style of chocolate).
So how do you use the molinillo? It can be used to both stir the chocolate and froth at the end. Let’s get started!
Stovetop (when you’ve got a crowd – at least 4 cups)
- Add 4 cups of milk to a tall sauce pan and set to medium-high heat.
- Add 1/2 cup Artisan’s Mexican Hot Chocolate mix into the milk mixture.
- Stir as the milk heats up. At this point you can use the molinillo in a similar motion as a spoon – and hey – it won’t scratch!
- When the milk is just about to boil and the chocolate is dissolved all the way, take the molinillo between your palms rub back and forth to produce a nice froth. Don’t be discouraged if you have to practice a few times before perfecting – it just means more chocolate to drink!
- Clean your molinillo after enjoying your cup of Hot Chocolate!
Microwave (a cup or two)
You can use a mini molinillo with this, but a spoon works fine too!
- Add 1 cup of milk to a mug and 2 tablespoons of Artisan’s Mexican Hot Chocolate mix. (Stir a little to make sure it breaks up).
- Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir again.
- Microwave for an additional minute (or more, to melt the chocolate to your liking). You may end up with some chocolate not completely dissolved, but then you get yummy bits at the end!
What’s “Bate Bate” have to do with anything?
Originally a nursery rhyme about stirring hot chocolate, it is now a popular song on Dora the Explorer. Hum this little tune as you stir!
Bate, bate, chocolate,
tu nariz de cacahuate.
Uno, dos, tres, CHO!
Uno, dos, tres, CO!
Uno, dos, tres, LA!
Uno, dos, tres, TE!
Chocolate, chocolate!
Bate, bate, chocolate!
Bate, bate, bate, bate,
Bate, bate, CHOCOLATE!
Translation: bate (stir), tu narize de cacahuate (your peanut nose)
Buen provecho!
