Nicaraguan Fresco de Cacao

Nicaragua is known for several refreshing drinks, but my favorite would have to be this Nicaraguan Fresco de Cacao. It’s a milk based drink made with toasted raw cacao beans, rice, cinnamon, a bit of vanilla extract and granulated sugar. That’s it. It doesn’t get any easier than that. It’s like a grown up, more robust flavored chocolate milk. I hesitate to say that because that description really doesn’t do it justice, but you get the picture. I grew up drinking this all the time as a kid so it still brings back so many great memories for me. I’ve been trying to share more of my childhood Nicaraguan recipes on here as a way to reconnect with my heritage. This salpicon or vigoron are some of my other favorites that I think you should try as well!

I shot a little video for this recipe. I hope it helps inspire you to get in the kitchen and make it! Watch below:

Place the cacao beans on a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Allow to toast, stirring often, until the skins just begin to brown and the beans start giving off a faint crackling or popping sound, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. 

**Note: Raw cacao beans can be found at most Latin American grocery stores or you can find them online as well. They’re unsweetened and slightly bitter.**

Use your fingers to peel the beans and place in a blender. Drain the rice and add to the blender along with the cinnamon sticks, vanilla, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup of milk. Blend on high until smooth. 

**Tip: You can use any type of milk or milk alternative that you like. Almond or cashew would be good (although not traditional). I prefer it with whole milk which is probably the only time I can actually drink milk straight up.**

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Use a spoon to press the mixture through the strainer, ensuring you extract as much of the liquid as possible.

**Note: This step is crucial because the blender doesn’t fully break down all of the rice, cinnamon and beans. This will ensure you remove most of that unwanted grittiness.**

Stir in the remaining milk and give it a taste. Adjust sweetness accordingly, adding as much sugar as you’d like. This is dependent on how sweet you like it. I don’t like it too sweet so I end up with about 1/4 cup of sugar. Allow to chill until super cold.

Once chilled for a couple of hours, serve over lots of ice. You want this super super ice cold because that’s when it’s the most refreshing, especially on a hot day. 

This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just be sure to give the drink a good stir before pouring into your glass because as the drink sits, some of the chocolatey bits will begin to settle at the bottom. 

If you can get your hands on some raw cacao beans, I highly recommend you try this recipe. It’s seriously the drink of my entire childhood and I can’t express enough just how good it is. It’s the perfect summer drink. And don’t even think about calling it an horchata (I won’t hear it) because horchata is from Mexico and doesn’t actually have milk or chocolate like this one. I don’t think I’ve ever had such an easy recipe on my blog either, so take advantage of it. Let me know what you think below, and be sure to watch that video. Stay safe out there my friends.

Nicaraguan Fresco de Cacao

A traditional Nicaraguan beverage made with toasted whole cacao beans, rice, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar and milk. Serve chilled over ice on a hot day! It's like a grown up, more robust flavored chocolate milk.

Servings 8 to 12 servings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 3 ounces cacao beans
• 2 cinnamon sticks broken in half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar depending on your taste
• 1/2 gallon whole milk or any milk you'd like

Instructions

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Place in a medium bowl and fill with enough cold water to completely cover the rice. Allow to soak for half an hour.
• Meanwhile, place the cacao beans on a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Allow to toast, stirring often, until the skins just begin to brown and the beans start giving off a faint crackling or popping sound, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Use your fingers to peel the beans and place in a blender. Drain the rice and add to the blender along with the cinnamon sticks, vanilla, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup of milk. Blend on high until smooth.
• Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, to remove the grit. Use a spoon to press the mixture through the strainer. Stir in the remaining milk and give it a taste. Adjust sweetness accordingly, adding as much sugar as you'd like. Allow to chill until super cold. Serve over ice and enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite