20-Minute Sweet and Spicy Mexican Chocolate Custard

Mexican chocolate — it’s spicy, it’s sweet, and it’s great in custard form. Its texture is more grainy than other kinds of chocolate, due to the sugar being undissolved, and it’s flavored with cinnamon. It’s typically used for hot beverages like champurrado, or in sauces like mole poblano.

Mexican chocolate can be found in specialty shops and supermarkets, but if you can’t find it, there’s several ways to replicate it. You can use cinnamon and almond extract or cinnamon and cayenne pepper. I used the latter. You can adjust the level of spices you want, but don’t make it too spicy when the custard is warm, because it’ll get even spicier after it chills! Here’s how to make it:

Mexican Chocolate Custard

• Prep Time:15 minutes
• Cook Time:5 minutes
• Total Time:20 minutes
• Servings:3
• Medium

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 tablespoon sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 oz bittersweet/semisweet chocolate chips, plus shaved chocolate for serving
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a pinch for serving
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• whipped cream for serving

• Step 1

  In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and heat until steaming and the sugar is dissolved

  

• Step 2

  Put the egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the hot milk

  

• Step 3

  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly until slightly thickened — about 2 minutes

  

• Step 4

  Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips and salt and whisk until smooth

  

• Step 5

  Add cinnamon and cayenne pepper and continue to whisk.

  

• Step 6

  Whisk in the butter

  

• Step 7

  Pour the custard into 3 small glasses and chill the custards

  

• Step 8

  Garnish with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, and shaved chocolate