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Ingredients
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Cacao beverage
Optional garnish / serving
Method
Cacao beverage
Prepare cacao
If using whole cacao beans: lightly toast 1 cup of whole cacao beans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking pan, until fragrant. Let cool briefly then rub in a clean towel to remove loose husks, and roughly chop or break into smaller pieces. If using cacao nibs, skip to next step.
Grind or crush (optional)
Place the toasted/chopped cacao or nibs in a spice grinder or a strong blender and pulse briefly to a coarse grind. You want small pieces, not a fine powder, so the beverage retains texture and oils.
Simmer cacao
In a medium saucepan combine 4 cups water and the ground cacao. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently 10–12 minutes to extract flavor. Stir or skim any foam.
Sweeten and spice
Add 3 tablespoons piloncillo (or dark brown sugar), 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the simmering cacao. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to simmer 2–3 minutes to let flavors marry.
Strain
Remove from heat and strain the hot cacao liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a clean pot or large bowl to remove solids. Press with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
Finish with milk and vanilla
Return the strained cacao liquid to the saucepan. Add 1 cup evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Warm gently over low heat—do not boil—stirring until hot and slightly frothy, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed, adding up to 1–2 tsp additional sugar or piloncillo.
Optional steps (make-ahead, iced)
Make-ahead: Prepare through the 'Strain' step, cool, then refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat and finish with evaporated milk and vanilla before serving.
Iced cacao: After finishing with milk, chill the mixture completely, then pour over ice and serve cold. For a creamier iced version, blend briefly with ice for a frothy drink.