Mayan Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 whole cloves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken up
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. 1

   Heat 4 cups of milk in a double-boiler at medium-low. If you don't have a double-boiler, then put a small pot inside a larger pot. If you don't have two pots, then stir it constantly. Sift the cocoa powder and flour. Add a bit of milk and stir the cocoa/flour mix until it becomes a paste.

2. 2

   Slowly add milk and continue to stir. It should turn into a paste. If you add milk too fast, you get clumpy cocoa. If that happens, use a hand blender to smoothen it.

3. 3

   Finally, when all the cocoa and flour are a paste (no more dry flour,) add the remaining spices (sugar, nutmeg, cloves, peppers, and cinnamon.).

4. 4

   Add the cocoa/flour/spices mix to the hot milk in the double-boiler. Stir constantly to keep it from burning. If you want it thicker, add some corn starch. Add as much corn starch as you like.

5. 5

   When the cocoa is ready (it takes only fifteen minutes until it's nice and hot,) use a slotted spoon to scoop the cloves and cinnamon off the top and add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

6. 6

   Serve in heavy mugs. If you like, you can put whipped cream on top, add small marshmallows, or add a stick of cinnamon (for stirring.).