FOOD NEWS
Use A Molinillo To Elevate Mexican Hot Chocolate
BY WENDY LEIGH
The key to cultivating the art of making authentic Mexican-style hot chocolate is to use a molinillo — an intricately carved wooden tool used for whipping wonder into each cup.
A molinillo is powered by your own two hands to create a creamy froth by whipping and churning the ingredients in a stovetop or clay-pot batch of Mexican hot chocolate.
Unlike metal whisks, molinillos are made of real wood with carved grooves, uniquely designed for mixing warm milk, spices, and pure chocolate bits into complexly layered hot cocoa.
The motion of rolling the shaft back and forth between your palms aerates and oxygenates the mixture for a lighter texture and more volume. They come in small and large sizes.
A molinillo isn't relevant for use in powdered quick-mix hot chocolates, but if you have a devotion to pure drinking chocolate, it's a fun kitchen tool with a lot of history.