There’s so much history in Salem, Massachusetts but not all of it comes from the witchy kind! In her enticing guide, RealFoodTraveler.com writer Kathy Witt wrote about ways modern-day visitors can step back in time to the 1692 Witch Trails in Salem. She specifically made mention of visiting the Kakawa Chocolate House, an artisanal chocolate shop. There, people can sip velvety-smooth chocolate elixirs which harken back to ancient history. The folks at Kakawa in Salem were kind enough to share a recipe for one of their chocolate elixirs.

Until you can get to Kakawa Chocolate House in Salem to enjoy them for yourself, save this recipe for a Chocolate Elixir to Pinterest. Images, clockwise: a cup of chocolate elixir from the flagship Santa Fe location of Kakawa Chocolate House by Claudia Carbone. The Salem shop and flight of elixirs by Kathy Witt. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Here’s what Kathy said in her article “Where to Immerse in the Salem Witch Trails of 1692”:

“Grab a table at artisanal chocolate shop, Kakawa Chocolate House, for a flight of chocolate elixirs and a tasting that is velvety-smooth exquisiteness. Drawing on chocolate’s long history, Kakawa’s chocolatiers recreate original Mesoamerican, European and Colonial chocolate elixir recipes: Tzul, a rich mix of dark chocolate and caramelized milk chocolate; French lavender, highly scented, exotic and semisweet; Zapoteca, complex, unspiced, bittersweet—less and less sweet as the elixirs move toward 100 percent real chocolate. The elixirs are paired with house-made whipped cream, light, fluffy and delicious. All the historic elixirs as well as the artisan chocolates, ice cream, milkshakes and other sweet treats are handmade onsite, and exclusively in small batches.”

Hungry for more? Read Kathy’s article about visiting Salem, MA.

Kakawa Chocolate House’s Historic Chocolate Elixir

“If you were visiting friends in Mexico you might be served a frothy concoction like the recipe below which has been made in one version or another for, literally hundreds of years,” said Kakawa Chocolate House owner Bonnie Bennett who shares her notations in the recipe below. “Feel free to tweak for your tastes; that is part of the fun, and each family will make it slightly different.”

Makes four servings

Ingredients:
3.5 cups of whole milk – If you prefer dairy-free, substitute unsweetened Almond milk
6 oz of rough chopped dark chocolate, at least 65%, and 70% is ideal or up to 80%. Buy the highest quality cacao you can as this will dramatically change the taste and texture
2.5 TBS of finely chopped or ground Piloncillo sugar, a traditional Mexican brown sugar often found in cone shapes, or substitute coconut sugar or honey (3 TBS)
2 TBS Canela (Mexican cinnamon)
1 tsp of vanilla
1/3 tsp ancho chili powder – You can also use traditional Guajillo, which is milder, or reduce amount. If you prefer more heat, use cayenne chili powder.

Instructions:
Warm the milk slowly on the stovetop. Do not boil. Once very warm, add sugar, Canela and chili. With a whisk, mix and blend these into the milk mixture, continue blending until sugar is incorporated. Allow mixture to continue to warm further, until steam begins to come off the surface but just before a boil.

Turn the stove off and add chocolate and vanilla, blend until chocolate has melted and all ingredients are mixed.

Create a froth with vigorous whisking, either with a traditional Molinillo or a conventional whisk. The froth is a delicious part of a traditional Mexican hot chocolate.

Divide into cups and serve. Fresh whipped cream or even 1 oz of Kahlua coffee liqueur (for an adult-only version) can be added at this stage if you like.

To learn more about Kakawa Chocolates in Salem, visit their website, here.

-By Kathy Witt

Hungry for more? Here’s the recipe for crab cakes, another Salem specialty.