The Champurrado is the Mexican version of hot chocolate, made with corn flour, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and milk.
I accompanied it with some treats made from peanut flour.
El Día de los Muertos is a pre-Colombian Mexican celebration in memory of the deceased.
It is generally held between October 28 and November 2, commemorating the dead by type of death and age: for example, October 28 some communities celebrate those who died in accidents and suicides, and children on the 31st.
We were fortunate to participate during our trip to Mexico in November 2023.
During the festival, graves are adorned with candles, flowers, bread, wine, and special dishes in honor of ancestors.
Many leave the bed free for the souls of the deceased on the night of November 1st. Typical foods are: sour fruits, citrus, semi-sweet, tamales, meat, and aromatic herbs.
They mainly cook and donate the foods and drinks that the deceased liked the most.
Traditional sweets placed on the altar include bread of the dead, sugar skulls (with the name of the deceased or living written on the forehead for a humorous touch), and chocolate.
Among these is Champurrado which is also a typical sweet of the Mexican Christmas festivities.
Especially during Las Posadas the novena celebrated every year usually between December 16 and December 24, served with tamales.
Traditionally served in colorful ceramic cups, it is considered the chocolate version of atole (with masa whipped using a wooden whisk called molinillo) a very sweet drink with corn flour widespread in Central America made with piloncillo (Mexican cane sugar) that can be replaced with more classic integral cane sugar.
There are many different recipes to prepare champurrado.
The authentic one is made using Mexican chocolate like the brand “Abuelita“.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup Masa harina (Corn flour)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3.5 oz 70% dark chocolate
- 2.5 cups water
Steps
Atole is made by toasting the masa (corn flour) on a comal (griddle), then adding the boiled water with the cinnamon sticks.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add it to the masa.
Then incorporate the milk and bring to a boil, adding the chocolate and sugar, stirring to avoid lumps.
Let the champurrado simmer for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
Pour into a decorated Mexican terracotta bowl or cup.
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The corn flour used here is masa harina, the characteristic dried version of the corn dough treated with lime, but you can use white corn flour found in ethnic stores or online like Pan White or Maseca.
