Warm-up today with a hot cup of cocoa on Cocoa Day. The terms hot chocolate and hot cocoa are often used interchangeably by many causing a bit of confusion. To make hot chocolate, you need ground chocolate containing cocoa butter and then mix it with hot milk.
Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar. Through the fermentation, drying, roasting, and grinding process of cocoa beans, a paste called chocolate liquor is produced. Through another method, they separate cocoa butter, leaving cocoa powder and that's used to make hot cocoa, which has very little fat and calories.
The Mayans are credited with creating the first chocolate beverage around 2000 years ago. Culturally, cocoa became an essential part of the Aztec civilization by 1400 AD. After the drink found its way from Mexico through the New World, Europeans popularized the chocolate drink. However, it has undergone multiple changes since then. Until the 19th century, drinkers used hot chocolate medicinally to treat ailments such as stomach diseases.
The health benefits of drinking hot cocoa abound. Cocoa contains significant amounts of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer. They have also shown that the cocoa bean helps with digestion. The flavonoids found in cocoa also have a positive effect on arterial health.
Chocolate lovers enjoy both drinking cocoa and hot cocoa in a variety of combinations. Here are our topping suggestions:
Whipped cream
Cinnamon and sugar
Marshmallow
Candy canes
Caramel
Toffee bits
Coconut
Peppermint Patties
Butterscotch candies, crushed
Candy sprinkles
Cinnamon cereal
Mini chocolate chips
Chopped nuts
Enjoy!