Chocolate Santafereño (Bogotá Hot Chocolate with Cheese)
In short: Rich spiced hot chocolate from Bogotá, frothed with a wooden whisk and served with cubes of fresh cheese melting in the cup. It takes about 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 390 kcal
In Bogotá a cup of hot chocolate often comes with a small plate of fresh cheese, bread or a tamal on the side. You drop cubes of cheese into the cup, wait until they soften, then spoon them out or drink them with the chocolate. The combination sounds unusual, but the salty, stretchy cheese balances the sweet, bitter drink. Colombians make it with tablet chocolate seasoned with cinnamon and froth it with a wooden whisk.
Instructions
- Heat the milk, water, cinnamon stick and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Remove the cinnamon and cloves. Add the chocolate and sugar and whisk until completely melted and smooth.
- Simmer very gently for 3 minutes, whisking, until slightly thickened. Froth for 30 seconds with a whisk or a molinillo, the wooden chocolate whisk.
- Pour into mugs and add a few cubes of cheese to each. Wait a minute for the cheese to soften, then eat it with a spoon and drink the chocolate.
Tips
- Colombian table chocolate comes in tablets already seasoned with cinnamon and sugar. If you can find it, use it in place of the chocolate and sugar here.
- Choose a mild, soft cheese. Mozzarella melts into strings and queso fresco softens without melting. Avoid aged or sharp cheeses.
Questions and answers
Why put cheese in hot chocolate?
It is a long-standing habit in Bogotá. The salty cheese softens in the hot drink and contrasts with the sweet, bitter chocolate, and it makes the drink more filling.
What cheese works best in hot chocolate?
A fresh, mild white cheese such as mozzarella, queso fresco or Colombian quesito. Skip aged or very sharp cheeses.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Use a plant milk with a dark chocolate that contains no milk, and skip the cheese or use a plant-based melting cheese. The drink will be thinner.
How long does it take to make Chocolate Santafereño (Bogotá Hot Chocolate with Cheese)?
About 15 min in total: 5 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chocolate Santafereño (Bogotá Hot Chocolate with Cheese)?
About 390 kcal per serving, with 15 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 23 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 390 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Sodium | 250 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
