Raw Food Recipes: Warm Cacao with Cinnamon
One of my favorite winter treats that I used to drink every day is Hot Chocolate. I used to make it with whole milk and sugar, often topping it with a huge dollop of whipped cream. Makes me shudder just to think about it! I still enjoy my favorite drink, but now I reap the benefits of this raw food recipe of the healthier version. Made from almond milk, cacao and agave, it is delicious and healthy. I keep the heat under 116 degrees, so I can maintain all the wonderful nutrients. It is warm and very satisfying! Yay for vegan cocoa!
Warm Cacao with Cinnamon
Warm Cacao with Cinnamon
- 1 cup almond milk (see below)
- 1-2 tablespoons cacao (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon agave or liquid sweetener of your choice (or more to taste)
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or with an immersion blender. The blender will thicken it nicely.
- Warm to 116. You can do this in the Vitamix or VERY carefully on the stove. If you use the stove, you need to stop heating before it gets to temp as it will continue to heat even after the heat source is removed. You can use a candy thermometer to check temp.
Almond Milk
- 1 cup almonds, soaked at least 6 hours
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2 dates
- 1 vanilla bean
- Drain almonds from soaking water. Add to Vitamix with 4 cups of the filtered water, dates and vanilla bean. Process for 2 minutes.
- Strain through nutmilk bag. You can save the remaining pulp, dehydrate it and use it as flour for other recipes.
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Susan wrote on March 22, 2014
This is amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
julia wrote on March 3, 2014
super good !
julia wrote on March 3, 2014
deliciuos
Noreen wrote on January 2, 2013
I have made my own almond milk and found an easy (and inexpensive) way to strain the pulp if you use a blender (I used my common household blender). I use two 1 kg peanut butter jars (it must be a straight sided, wide mouth jar), knee high nylons, heavy duty elastic bands and a wide mouth funnel for “milking” and a 1 gallon glass jar for storing in the fridge.
– Cut the toe out of the nylons and tie a knot at the end and cut the top off so the knotted “bag” is about 5 inches in length (they stretch when full). If they’re too long it makes the straining step too awkward.
– Place the “bag” inside the jar and stretch it over the lip securing it with the heavy duty elastic band.
– SLOWLY pour the ‘milk pulp’ out of the blender into the jar with the “bag” in it. Let it sit while you fill the second “bagged” jar. Go back and ‘top up’ the first then the second and so on.
– Once you have an appropriate amount of pulp in the “bag” (you’ll have to experiment), carefully remove the elastic band making sure the “bag” does not fall into the jar. (this is where I discovered the jar HAS to be a straight sided large mouth jar. If you use a jar with a mouth that’s smaller than the sides, you can’t get the pulp-filled “bag” out)
– Lift the “bag” out of the jar high enough to get the widemouth funnel in the top of the jar and then “milk” the “bag”.
– Pour the strained milk into the glass storage jar and refrigerate.
The nylons are easy to clean, and re-use.
Deb wrote on December 1, 2012
Looks so good, going home to try:)
dewinter ana wrote on August 15, 2012
Dear Susan,
Do I put the vanilla bean entirely, or only the core?
Thanks in advance,
Ana
Susan wrote on August 15, 2012
The entire bean. You will be straining after you mix. Cheers!
Kerstin wrote on March 14, 2012
Any other nut milks that you would recommend if I can’t eat almonds due to an allergy? Those talking about brazil nut milk do you make your own??
Melanie wrote on February 28, 2012
Have you ever read that when you soak almonds, the calcium that is in the almonds is absorbed by the water.
Hannah wrote on February 15, 2012
Ok, here’s the BIG thing: I’m trying to make my own chocolate, but I can’t find unprocessed (read: without sugar, milk, etc) already added to it. It looks like your recipe calls for raw cocoa…. where did you find it? Do you have a favorite source?
Thanks!
Susan wrote on February 15, 2012
I order it on-line. Cheers!