Recipe

20-Minute Sweet and Spicy Mexican Chocolate Custard

By Jennifer Nigro at University of Vermont

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

Photo by Jennifer Nigro

Step 1

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

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 2

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

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 3

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

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 4

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

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 5

Add cinnamon and cayenne pepper and continue to whisk.

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 6

Whisk in the butter

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 7

Pour the custard into 3 small glasses and chill the custards

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Step 8

Garnish with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, and shaved chocolate

Gif by Jennifer Nigro

Want more chocolate? Check out these articles: