If ever there were a drink to warm you up from the inside out, trust us when we say that it's this one.

We’ve partnered with our friends and neighbours at Thom Bargen in Winnipeg to bring you this seasonal, spicy mocha recipe with a hint of ancho chillis! 

While we will always return to a good ol' fashioned cup of hot cocoa on a crisp day, the balance of deep, rich chocolate with the added spice brings this mocha to another level. Although speaking of old fashioned, early Mayan people in regions of Guatemala and Mexico were known to combine spicy chili peppers with their freshly ground cocoa... so really, this is one of the oldest tricks in the book! 

We hope you enjoy it and we definitely recommend making enough to share with friends.

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tbsp cacao powder

1/2 of a small ancho chilli pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

pinch of kosher salt

Measure water into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium-heat.

Sift together the sugars, cacao powder and spices. Add to water and whisk until smooth.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes, adding salt near the end.

Strain and transfer to a glass jar and chill.

To make your spicy mocha beverage, add 1 tbsp of the mocha mixture to a mug and top with espresso and steamed milk. Bonus points if you have a homemade marshmallow for the cherry on top.

Enjoy!