One minute we’re apple picking and raking fallen leaves in autumn, the next minute I’m simmering Filipino Tsokolate – Hot Chocolate Tablea Milk Drinks in a stockpot. Winter came too early today blasting into fall. To warm us up, I quickly made a rich, thick hearty cup of hot cocoa for our merienda.
As I write this, the snow fall outside is relentless and falling hard. It was a good reason to make a few cups of tsokolate. On our recent trip to the Philippines this past summer, I purchased a few rolls of tsokolate tablea. These are Philippine chocolate products – solid, chunky tablets about 2-inches in diameter made of pure cacao. They make the most comforting cups of chocolate drinks which Filipinos are familiar with and yearn for when the weather gets this chilly.
The major winter blast here on the northeast today caused deadly road conditions. Schools closed, folks were sent home early from work, flights were cancelled, and lives disrupted. It was a reminder that life is as vulnerable and volatile as the weather which we cannot control. It was winter’s early wake up call. It’s a good way to pause and take stock of what’s happening and what is to come in the next few days. Meanwhile, take a sip of your warm drink before it gets cold.
Filipino Tsokolate - Hot Chocolate Tablea Milk Drink
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 tablets Filipino tablea chocolate
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- To make the tsokolate: In a small 4-quart stockpot, place the tableas (chocolate tablets), and water. Over medium high heat, whisk well as the tableas start to melt, and the solid tablets turn to liquid in about 8 to 10 minutes. Mix and incorporate the melted chocolate with the water. Add the heavy cream and sugar.
To serve: Pour the hot tsokolate in a small demitasse or espresso cup, that can contain about ½ cup. Add more sugar to sweeten if preferred. Serve piping hot or very warm together with freshly-made deep-fried, crisp churros. Dunk churros into the tskolate one at a time as you eat and drink along.Cook's comments: When whisking the tsokolate drink, Filipinos use a handheld wooden 'batirol' (say 'bah-ti-rol') or the Spanish-sounding 'batidor', which is a short, slim rolling-pin look-alike. This is a heirloom kitchen gadget specifically used to mix the tsokolate. There are now wooden replicas sold in Manila, right next to where the tableas are sold. However, for faster results, I used a wire whisk in this recipe.Recipe Notes: The Filipino tablea package I bought from the Asian market contained a pack of 10 cacao tablets, with a total net weight of 7.05 ounces or 200 g. You can find these at Asian markets, in the Philippine aisle. Online groceries selling ethnic or Asian products may also have them. In the Philippines, they are widely available in supermarkets, neighborhood groceries, major department stores, artisan food bazaars or local markets.Hello, Friends! All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos and recipe content I wrote, on your website,books, films, television shows or videos without my permission. If you want to republish this recipe or content on another website, video, news article,or media outlets mentioned above please ASK my permission, re-write it in your own words and simply link back to this blog to give proper attribution. It’s the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]Disclosure: As a participant in the Amazon Affiliate program, some blog posts contain links to products used in the recipe and sold on Amazon. The price stays the same for the readers who wish to purchase these products on my links. I earn a small commission from Amazon which helps maintain the blog expenses. Thanks in advance for your support.
Nutrition
Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.
Did you like this recipe? I have more classic recipes inspired by my late mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.
Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE my original recipe, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
[…] or Sikwate, as it’s called in Cebu. If mangoes aren’t in season, serve these puto with Tsokolate, the chocolate […]