My introduction to chocolate came from the source; the real deal Nicaraguan Cacao Refresco made from raw CACAO. It’s a refreshing, bold drink made of roasted chocolate beans (not that processed cocoa stuff), fresh cinnamon, vanilla and white rice (for thickness and body).
What is Cacao?
Cacao beans/seeds are derived from a small tropical American evergreen tree, from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made. These trees are popular in humid climates around the world, but in Nicaragua cacao plays an important part in international trade and nutrition.
Cacao is processed in multiple ways, however this Nicaraguan drink recipe is not processed. It’s consumed raw to maintain it’s nutritional value. While I love this drink for it’s oh so refreshing taste, the raw cacao seeds are packed with flavonoids. These nutrients help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, and aid in preventing blood clots. Not to mention, since this drink is also made with rice, it also provides plenty of fiber to aid in stomach digestion. But enough of the science, let’s get to the good stuff – how it’s made!
How to Make Refresco de Cacao
Nicaraguan Cacao is prepared by roasting raw cacao seeds until their color changes from deep red to brownish-black. Since raw cacao seeds are hard to locate in certain states and cities, I made this recipe using raw cacao nibs. Below I linked my favorite brands.
Cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed cacao beans. They are harvested, then fermented and cracked to produce small, dark bits.
Roasted cacao has the most amazing smell, so if you start smelling bitter sweet chocolate aromas throughout your kitchen – you’re doing it right!
Once the cacao nibs are roasted, they are added to a blender along with white rice that is soaked overnight. It’s important to soak the rice overnight because it gives the drink great body, while also being tender enough to blend.
Quality Ingredients
For maximum flavor I always recommend using high-quality ingredients, especially in this recipe. I splurge a little extra money on our star ingredients (cacao and cinnamon) because it makes all the difference. Here are my favorite brands:
- Raw Cacao Nibs: https://amzn.to/3qfljhh
- Raw Cacao Beans: https://amzn.to/3e7e0G4
- Rich Saigon Cinnamon Sticks: https://amzn.to/32XPKTh
- Rich Saigon Cinnamon Powder: https://amzn.to/3qLurwf
Tips and Tricks
Once the base ingredients are blended, it’s time to strain them until they achieve – no frills lusciousness. If you’re wondering what I mean by that, the objective is to strain the mixture and remove any excess shells or pulp.
The final product should resemble a thick paste of pure cacao and cinnamon.
This paste is then added back into the blender and mixed with milk, sugar and vanilla extract. Take the liberty to adjust the sweetness and chocolate flavor to your desired taste. Either add more milk or less sugar. Serve with ice or chilled alone and ENJOY!
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Nicaraguan Cacao Drink – Refresco De Cacao
Ingredients
- 1 cup of raw cacao nibs or cacao beans
- 1 cup of white rice (soaked overnight)
- 5 cups of milk
- 2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cup of white sugar (sweeten to your taste)
- 1 stick of cinnamon + 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (omit ground cinnamon, for less bold flavor)
Instructions
- Soak white rice overnight and drain before preparing cacao drink.
- Roast raw cacao nibs or beans in a saute pan on low heat from 5 minutes. Cacao should change to a deep chocolate color and begin to release it’s fragrance.
- In a blender, add roasted cacao, soaked rice, water and cinnamon. Blend for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Strain cacao paste (once or twice) to remove the pulp, seeds and any other particles from the cacao liquid.
- Combined milk, sugar, vanilla extract with the cacao liquid and stir.
- Chill for 3 hours or serve with ice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Raw Cacao Nibs: https://amzn.to/3qfljhh
- Raw Cacao Beans: https://amzn.to/3e7e0G4
- Rich Saigon Cinnamon Sticks: https://amzn.to/32XPKTh
- Rich Saigon Cinnamon Powder: https://amzn.to/3qLurwf
