Champurrado + Nespresso

As you may know, I’ve recently finished a huge house renovation. We bought the house last year, thinking the renovations wouldn’t be too extensive. Of course, it all ended up being . . .  extensive. But I have to say, all that work was worth it. Naturally, the kitchen is my favorite room and I love spending time in this one bright corner of the kitchen (where these photos were taken). On the weekend mornings, I love making a shot of espresso on my Nespresso VertuoLine Evoluo in my bright little corner. One of my new years “resolutions” was to slow down, and there’s something really satisfying and meditative about taking the time to enjoy an espresso in this bright corner of the kitchen. Another one of my goals this year is to go back to Mexico. I’ve been dying to go back to Oaxaca since I first went almost 9 years ago and it suddenly occurred to me that I should just go and stop making excuses! This champurrado recipe was inspired by Mexico and mornings with my Nespresso and if this is the first time you’ve heard of champurrado, I hope this post will pique your interest and that you’ll give this classic Mexican drink a try. Champurrado is a chocolate atole. An atole is a masa-based drink that is flavored with spices and anything from fruits to nuts. Masa is a corn flour that is made from dried corn kernels that have been soaked in limewater and then ground. It’s the same stuff used to make corn tortillas and tamales and you can get it in just about any market or online. The masa not only thickens the champurrado but it also gives the drink a flavor that is reminiscent of cereal. Think of a champurrado as your ordinary hot chocolate but with an even better thick and smooth texture. I’ve spiced this drink with the standard champurrado spices like vanilla, star anise and cinnamon and because I love the combination of espresso and chocolate, I added a shot of the Altissio espresso made with my Nespresso VertuoLine Evoluo. The Altissio is a full-bodied espresso with hints of smooth cereal notes and pairs really well with the cereal flavors of the champurrado. Experience a cup above with this espresso chocolate champurrado!

CHAMPURRADO + NESPRESSO

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 1 three-ounce tablet of Mexican chocolate (or dark chocolate if you can’t find Mexican chocolate)
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 2 star anise
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of masa harina
• 1 ounce of panela, or 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 shots of Nespresso espresso

Directions:

• In a pot, combine water, cinnamon and star anise. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes to allow spices to steep.
• Add milk and continue to simmer on low heat. Add vanilla extract and panela. Whisk until panela is melted and steep on low heat for another 10 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon and star anise and add the chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted.
• Add shots of Nespresso espresso
• While whisking, gradually add the masa so no lumps remain.
• Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until the drink is smooth thick and frothy. This can also be made without a blender, but the blender will give you a smoother texture.

(images by HonestlyYUM; Sponsored by Nespresso. Opinions are our own)