Báte, Báte Chocolate
Cacao, the raw unrefined bean preceding cocoa production, originated in Mexico and grows all over the country. So, this sweet treat is unsurprisingly a cultural staple. It blends cacao nibs from the bean with sugar and cinnamon, creating a complex sweet and spicy flavor profile.
Mexican chocolate is meant to be mixed, rather than eaten alone. Its rusticity helps enhance other flavors without overly sweetening them. Aside from classic desserts like hot cocoa and churros con chocolate, the chocolate brings richness to savory dishes as well.
Chef Pati Jinich, our December CrateChef featured chef, uses Mexican chocolate several times in her latest cookbook Treasures of the Mexican Table. Try it in Coloradito Mole with Chicken (pg. 244) and Mole Poblano with Chicken (pg. 249).
But don’t stop there. Let us know how you experiment with Mexican Chocolate from this month’s CrateChef box. Happy cooking!
