Authentic Caribbean Cocoa Tea Recipe
A delicious authentic recipe from the Caribbean known as cocoa tea or cacao tea made with warming spices. This is the official Caribbean hot chocolate.
I’ve been working on something special, a taste of chocolate from the Caribbean known as cocoa tea, and I’m so excited to share the recipe with you. Plus, if you like healthy functional recipes like this one, you’ll also like this Caribbean ginger beer and this golden chai latte.
What is Caribbean Cocoa Tea?
Cocoa tea or cacao tea is a chocolate beverage made from unprocessed cacao. This is not processed hot chocolate beverage with the little bunny on the front of the container. Once prepared, cocoa tea is a warm beverage made with robust spices that have a complex and delicious flavor.
Although officially known as cocoa tea, Caribbean chocolate tea is actually more like a hot chocolate recipe, versus an actual tea.
Cocoa is grown in tropical climates around the world. This includes parts of West Africa, Central America, South America, India and, of course, parts of the Caribbean. You can make cocoa tea with either cocoa sticks or cocoa balls.
Why I Love This Authentic Caribbean Cocoa Tea Recipe
First of all, I’m partial. I literally grew up sipping on this delicious beverage all throughout my childhood. An excerpt from my book Be FINE, reads:
“When I was a young girl, and wanted a cup of hot chocolate, I drank a cup of cocoa tea. There was no powdery mix to scoop from a can and no commercial syrup to add to hot milk. The fresh cocoa beans after being picked and roasted, had spice added, and then rolled into proper sticks for cocoa tea.”
One of my earliest memories involves reaching for an enamel cup of this delicious hot cocoa at two or three years old. Turns out, it was not actually cocoa tea (as I originally thought), but that’s another story for another day or book for that matter.
I regale in stories that my mom shared with me about rolling the cocoa sticks and cocoa tea by hand. It truly is a culinary treat.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Caribbean Cocoa Tea
Recipes on the internet are a dime a dozen. There’s no telling from where they came from, and sometimes you don’t even know if that recipe was written and vetted by an actual human being. This cocoa tea recipe is not only a healthy Caribbean recipe, but also it was written and vetted by me, a born and raised West Indian, that grew up on the silky smooth blend of natural cacao transformed into a hot beverage.
In addition, unlike most traditional hot chocolate, cocoa tea is super nutritious. That’s because there is minimum processing that goes into making cocoa tea sticks, no added sugar and no additional ingredients. When combined with whole freshly grated spices, the end result is a delicious, satisfying beverage with a creamy texture prepared to chocolatey perfection.
When To Drink Cacao Tea
While you need no special occasion to drink a cup of traditional cocoa tea, often times the hot drink is enjoyed on rainy or chilly days, along side breakfast or as a decadent treat. This chocolate drink is also a favorite on Christmas morning.
Health Benefits of Cocoa Tea
Drinking a cup of cocoa tea goes beyond the novelty of grating minimally processed cocoa sticks or cocoa balls yourself, the stuff is good for you too. As a matter of fact, once you’ve enjoyed a cup of Caribbean cocoa tea, it’s hard to go back. Here are some of the health benefits of raw cocoa.
Raw cocoa is a wonderful source of flavonoids and antioxidants. Eating flavonoid-rich foods have been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk. In addition, flavonoids have potent anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and are noted for improved cardiovascular function.
Ingredients in Caribbean Cacao Tea
cocoa balls or cocoa sticks – Either cocoa sticks or cocoa balls can be used. Both need to be grated before use. Note, for this recipe I DO NOT recommend using pre-grated chocolate or cacao powder.
Here are the ingredients in Caribbean cocoa tea:
- water
- cocoa balls or cocoa sticks – Either cocoa balls or cocoa sticks can be used. See more information below under the “Tips” section.
- clove
- bay leaf
- cinnamon stick – Use hard spices like cinnamon sticks versus ground cinnamon, for potent flavor
- fresh nutmeg – Yes, you need to use whole nutmeg for best flavor. It needs to be grated before use.
- whole milk – This traditional recipe uses whole milk. I use raw whole milk for maximum ancient nutrition. It also keeps the consistency nice and thick. You can also use almond milk or coconut milk if you prefer.
- pinch of salt
- vanilla extract
- sweetener -For a truly healthy and authentic experience, I recommend using a raw sugar like sucanat, panela, muscovado or demerara sugar.
Equipment Needed
box grater (you can also try using a food processor)
strainer – to remove those pieces of grated chocolate just before serving.
Directions
Step 1: Grate cocoa balls or cocoa sticks using a grater. Grating it yourself makes everything more potent.
Step 2: Add cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, bay leaf, sugar and a pinch of salt to a sauce pan with the water.
Step 3: Bring to a boil.
Step 4: Once boiling add the grated chocolate and milk.
Step 5: Heat on medium low until everything reduces a little and starts to get thick. This could take between 15-30 minutes. Just watch the pot . You’re looking for a thicker consistency and want a good amount of the chocolate to dissolve. Be careful not to scald the milk.
Step 6: Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
Step 7: Strain the cocoa tea with a small strainer right before serving.
Tips
Cocoa sticks or cocoa balls are not always easy to find if you live outside the Caribbean or other places that grow cocoa. You can try visiting an International or Caribbean market near you. I’ve purchased it on Amazon before, but they seem hard to keep in stock.
Once you do find cocoa balls or cocoa sticks, pay attention to the ingredients. You’re looking for 100% cocoa or cacao and that’s it. It will smell like chocolate.
Strain cocoa tea with a strainer right before serving, otherwise you will be chewing on cocoa tea rather than solely drinking it.
The quantity of sweetener in the recipe is a guide. Add a little more sugar if you prefer. Keep in mind that natural cocoa sticks don’t contain any sugar so you may not find it palatable without adding some sweetener.
This recipe calls for 2 cocoa sticks or 4 cocoa balls. As a guide, this will give you about 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder once grated.
What To Eat With This Caribbean Cocoa Tea Recipe
Traditionally, I grew up enjoying cocoa tea by itself or alongside “bakes” or Johnny cakes. For a healthy option, I recommend trying it with a piece of Caribbean banana bread.
Other Nutritious Caribbean Drink Recipes
Traditional Caribbean Sorrel Recipe
Other Healthy Functional Beverages You May Like
Authentic Caribbean Cocoa Tea
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cocoa sticks (or 4 cocoa balls)
- 4 cups milk (whole milk or other plant milk of your choice)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated)
- 4 tbsp demerara sugar (can also use sucanat or other raw sugar)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cloves
Instructions
- Grate cocoa balls or cocoa sticks using a grater and set aside.2 cocoa sticks
- Add cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cloves, bay leaf, sugar and a pinch of salt to a sauce pan with water.1 cup water, 1 cinnamon stick , 1 bay leaf , 1/4 tsp nutmeg , 4 tbsp demerara sugar , 1 pinch salt , 2 cloves
- Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling add the grated chocolate and milk.4 cups milk
- Heat on medium low until everything reduces a little and starts to get thick. This could take between 15-30 minutes. Just watch the pot . You're looking for a thicker consistency and want a good amount of the chocolate to dissolve. Be careful not to scald the milk.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
- Strain the cocoa tea with a small strainer right before serving.
