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Mexican Coffee

It's Cinco De Mayo, and for a lot of folks, that means celebrating Mexican Heritage. So let's discuss some traditional Mexican Coffee recipes and how you can make them at home.

Piloncillo

Cafe de Olla

On the menu today, we have Cafe de Olla (Cafe deh O-ya) and a Mexican Style Hot Chocolate. We know Hot Chocolate isn't coffee, but we wanted to include one for all the milk lovers, as Cafe de Olla is somewhat diminished by adding milk.

First up is Cafe de Olla. This consists of boiling some sugar and spices with coffee and straining. So you'll need a couple of essential ingredients.

First of which is Piloncillo or Panela, a type of unrefined cane sugar from Central and South America. You can use Jaggery in a pinch, which is from India. If using Jaggery, ensure you're getting Jaggery made from Cane sugar and not date palms, as it sometimes is.

Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks

Next up, you'll need a Mexican Cinnamon stick. Again, there's a distinction here. Mexican Cinnamon is Ceylon Cinnamon sticks imported from either Sri Lanka or Madagascar. Do ensure that you're purchasing Ceylon Cinnamon and not Cassia Cinnamon (more common in North America) as the taste is wildly different, with Ceylon Cinnamon being much more complex and fragrant.

And finally, the coffee. Obviously, something from Mexico is perfect for authenticity, but here we can make some exceptions. Ideally, you will want a darker roast, somewhere between Medium-dark to dark; some oil should be on the beans. This darker roasted coffee will cut through the sweetness from the Piloncillo and offer a smokey and delicious beverage.

Cafe de Olla

Now we have everything together, grab a saucepan and add:

  1. 1kg water (4 cups)
  2. 85g Piloncillo/Panela
  3. Half a stick of the Ceylon or Mexican Cinnamon

Simmer until dissolved, then bring to a boil

Once water is boiling, kill the heat and add 65g of Coffee, ground to Medium coarse, or about 750 Microns.

Now stir, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain through to drink. This is where your grind size may vary, depending on the size of your filter. Tweak to your heart's content! Some will add cloves or Anise to spice it up even further.

Mexican Style Hot Chocolate

Mexican Style Hot Chocolate

You'll need:

  1. Approx 145g or 1/2 a cup plus 2 tablespoons of Masa Harina (Corn Flour)
  2. 1 Mexican Cinnamon stick (optional)
  3. 750g or 3 cups of Whole milk
  4. 160 grams of High-Quality Mexican Chocolate
  5. 15g or 1 tablespoon of Sugar
  6. 1 pinch of salt

Add about 175g or 3/4 cup of water to a bowl and continually add your flour until you have a batter-like consistency.

Add about 175g or 3/4 cup of water to a bowl and continually add your flour until you have a batter-like consistency. Bring 310g or 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. If using a cinnamon stick, include. Add the Batter, and stir until dissolved, then lower heat and cook until thickened.

Add about 175g or 3/4 cup of water to a bowl and continually add your flour until you have a batter-like consistency. With the heat turned to medium, add milk, sugar, salt, and all but a crumb of the chocolate. Simmer the mixture while stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom; after 15-20 minutes, it should thicken considerably. Ladle into mugs and shave the remaining chocolate over the top.

Add about 175g or 3/4 cup of water to a bowl and continually add your flour until you have a batter-like consistency. Now enjoy!