Recipe · Basic
Our simple daily cup
Our everyday cup, the one we make most mornings. 15–20 g of cacao, hot water, spices and a pinch of salt, blended. Five minutes, one mug.
5 min
1 cup
100% cacao
This is the cup we make most mornings at the workshop. It takes five minutes and one mug, and it’s a simple place to start before you find your own way.
Recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup)
- 15–20 g ALPAKA ceremonial cacao, chopped or shaved
- 150–200 ml (5–7 fl oz) water
- 1 small pinch of salt
- Spices, if you like: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, orange peel, vanilla or chili
- A little honey or another sweetener (optional)
Method
- Chop. Take 15–20 g of cacao and chop or shave it. Smaller pieces come together more smoothly.
- Heat. Heat 150–200 ml of water until it is hot but not boiling, about 160–175 °F / 70–80 °C, to keep its full flavour and aroma.
- Spice and salt. Add spices and a pinch of salt, which makes the cup richer. One, several or none.
- Sweeten, if you like. A little honey or another sweetener balances the natural bitterness. I add a little honey.
- Blend. Blend so everything comes together and the flavour opens up. A blender works best; a handheld milk frother works too. Cacao can be hard to dissolve otherwise.
This is just a starting point. You will find your own best cup; making cacao is a path of exploring.
ALPAKA ceremonial cacao · Made at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Variations
- Creamier: swap half the water for oat or coconut milk.
- Brighter: add a strip of orange peel before you blend.
- For a ceremony: a serving is about 40 g of cacao in the same amount of water.
- For two: double everything.
Notes
- The salt won’t make it salty; it rounds out the bitterness.
- If you see an oily film, blend a little longer, and next time keep the water off the boil.
- Cacao contains a little caffeine. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or on medication, check with your doctor.
