Rich, spicy hot chocolate a decadent treat

Eva Wasney Homemade Holidays
By: Eva Wasney Posted:

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Today for Homemade Holidays, we have a spicy and satisfying stovetop hot chocolate recipe from Free Press reader Sandy Rubinfeld. Hot tip: If you don’t finish the whole pot, you can store the leftovers in the fridge and mix it into your morning coffee for a fancy faux-mocha — make sure to stir well, as the hot chocolate thickens further in the cold.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/06/2025 (438 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Today for Homemade Holidays, we have a spicy and satisfying stovetop hot chocolate recipe from Free Press reader Sandy Rubinfeld. Hot tip: If you don’t finish the whole pot, you can store the leftovers in the fridge and mix it into your morning coffee for a fancy faux-mocha — make sure to stir well, as the hot chocolate thickens further in the cold.

“This is the very best hot chocolate I have ever tasted! It is perfect for a chilly Winnipeg winter day. It is incredibly rich, like a hot chocolate pudding, so I save it for rare occasions. I came across it decades ago in The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two. It is authentic to northern Spain,” writes Sandy.

Castilian Hot Chocolate

(Eva Wasney photo)

(Eva Wasney photo)

Submitted by Sandy Rubinfeld

125 ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened powdered cocoa

250 ml (1 cup) sugar

35 ml (7 tsp) cornstarch

125 ml (1/2 cup) water

1 litre (4 cups) milk

1 ml (1/8 tsp) red pepper flakes (optional)

5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon (optional)

Mix the cocoa and sugar together.

(Eva Wasney photo)

(Eva Wasney photo)

Dissolve the cornstarch in lukewarm water. Combine this with the cocoa-sugar mixture in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir until it forms a smooth paste.

Slowly begin heating this mixture. Continuously stir with a whisk. Gradually pour in the milk. Continue stirring, as you bring it to a simmer.

Simmer, stirring often, for at least 10 minutes. If using, you can add the cinnamon and red pepper flakes at this point.

The cocoa is ready when it thickens, and is a glossy, smooth, rich chocolate colour. The consistency should be like a chocolate pudding that didn’t quite set.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Eva Wasney

Eva Wasney
Arts Reporter

Eva Wasney is a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press.

   Read full biography

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Homemade

Homemade is a Free Press series celebrating home cooking in Manitoba. Visit wfp.to/homemade to submit a recipe.

Eva Wasney

Eva Wasney
Arts Reporter

Eva Wasney is a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press.

   Read full biography

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

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(Eva Wasney photo)

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“This is the very best hot chocolate I have ever tasted! It is perfect for a chilly Winnipeg winter day. It is incredibly rich, like a hot chocolate pudding, so I save it for rare occasions. I came across it decades ago in The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two. It is authentic to northern Spain,” writes Sandy.

Castilian Hot Chocolate

Submitted by Sandy Rubinfeld

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