Today is International Chocolate day, a day which I am quite certain requires some kind of celebration. And what better time to celebrate than … breakfast? Yes, you read that right! Chocolate for breakfast, an historical tradition I can get behind!

Chocolate may seem to require more consideration. It is, as we all know, the fruit of a tree growing in the West Indies, ground into a paste with other ingredients, and serves as a repast to multitudes of people of all conditions. It has not been observed, I believe, that those who in this manner make chocolate a part of their food, are subject to any particular distempers. It may be considered, therefore, as a wholesome kind of breakfast to those who like it, and with whom it agrees.

~Perkins, 1790

By the end of the eighteenth century, and right through the Regency, drinking chocolate was most commonly taken by aristocratic ladies in the morning. Many would take it on rising, since it might be an hour or more before they would sit down to breakfast. Some ladies might have a slice or two of toast along with their cup of chocolate upon rising, but it was also common to stir bread, rather than flour or cornstarch, into the chocolate while it was being prepared, to thicken it and absorb the excess cocoa butter. If an egg and/or cream was also added, this thick hot drink would certainly sustain a lady through her morning duties until she took her place at the breakfast table later in the morning.

Those who did not take their chocolate immediately upon arising might have chosen to enjoy a cup of chocolate with their breakfast. It seems that chocolate taken with a meal was less likely to contain either eggs or cream. Rather it was usually just a sweetened, flavored chocolate prepared with milk and thickener only. Interesting note, drinking chocolate in England was not only made with milk. It might have been made with water, often with a liberal lacing of brandy, sherry, red wine or port. This version of drinking chocolate was most often enjoyed in the evening, perhaps by a couple sharing a comfortable evening before the fire, or as light sustenance after a night out on the town. There were, of course, a few ladies who felt the need of this wine-fortified chocolate when they rose in the morning, but this does not appear to have been widespread. (Kane, 2018)

Preparing Drinking Chocolate

Even with premade chocolate tablets, which would already contain a liberal dose of spices, it took thirty minutes or more of strenuous effort and several specialized kitchen items to prepare a cup of drinking chocolate.  

First, a specialty chocolate grater would be used to shave the necessary amount of chocolate from the solid tablet. The powdered chocolate would be added to a large pan containing water, milk or possibly a mixture of water and wine or water and brandy and place over heat.

The chocolate/liquid mixture would be brought to a boil, while constantly stirring to prevent scorching. After it came to a boil, the cook removed it from the heat and used a special tool, known in England as a chocolate mill (in France a molinet, in Spain a molinilla) to agitate the mixture. At this point eggs, flour, corn starch or even bread might be added to the mixture to thicken it. The cook would spin the chocolate mill between her hands for several to incorporate the thickeners into the drinking chocolate.

After beating, the pot was returned to the heat and brought to a boil again while stirring constantly. At this stage, cream might be added. The chocolate mill would be employed once more to fully blend the mixture and raise a head of froth without which drinking chocolate was not considered fit to be served. Because of the froth on top special cups were required to properly enjoy sipping the chocolate through the milky froth on top and special pots were developed to assist in making and serving that froth.  

Here’s a demonstration of making drinking chocolate in a recreation of a royal chocolate kitchen.

Recipes for Drinking Chocolate

The following recipe for preparing of drinking chocolate comes from the Harleian Miscellany, Vol I:

For preparing the drink of chocolate

“ you may observe the following measures Take of the mass of chocolate, cut into small pieces, one ounce; of milk and water well boiled together, of each, half a pint; one yolk of an egg well beaten mix them together, let them boil but gently, till all is dissolved, stirring them often together with your mollinet, or chocolate-mill afterwards pour it into your dishes, and into every dish put one spoonful of sack.” (Oldys & Park, 1808)

To make Chocolate.

SCRAPE four ounces of chocolate and pour a quart of boiling water upon it, mill it well with a chocolate mill, and sweeten it to your taste, give it a boil and let it stand all night, then mill it again very well, boil it two minutes, then mill it till it will leave a froth upon the top of your cups. (Radlaffe, 1786)

Du Chocolat. Of Chocolate.

Simmer the chocolate on a slow fire, in the proportion of two ounces to each cup; stir it about a good deal with a chocolate-mill, and when it is properly dissolved and thickened, add a yolk of an egg, beat up, to the proportion of four cups, or the whites equally beat up, and the first froth thrown away; mix it first with a little of the chocolate, which add to the rest, and mill it very well to incorporate together; this will make it of a proper consistence, and of a proper froth: it is best to be made a day or two before using. If you keep it ready made any time boil it a moment every other day; sweeten it according to taste.* (Clermont, 1776)

This modern recipe captures many of the flavors of Regency drinking chocolate.

Spiced Hot Chocolate

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 strip lemon peel 1″ by 2″
• 1 3″ cinnamon stick
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat the first 5 ingredients to boiling, reduce heat simmer 3 min. Remove from heat whisk in cocoa and vanilla until foamy. Strain into warmed cups. Top with whipped cream.  From: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/a-passion-for-hot-chocolate/

How does that sound for breakfast? Tell me in the comments.

 References

A Lady. Domestic Economy and Cookery for the rich and poor. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green. 1827.

Clermont, B., and Menon. The Professed Cook ; Or, the Modern Art of Cookery, Pastry, and Confectionary, Made Plain and Easy … including a Translation of Les Soupers De La Cour … By B. Clermont … The Third Edition, Revised and Much Enlarged. London: W. Davis, Etc., 1776.

Glasse, Hannah. The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy: Which Far Exceeds Any Thing of the Kind Ever Yet Published … London: Printed for the Author, and Sold at Mrs. Ashburn’s, a China Shop, the Corner of Fleet-Ditch, 1747.

Kane, Kathryn. “Regency Chocolate:   The Correct Accoutrements.” The Regency Redingote. August 02, 2011. Accessed May 24, 2017. https://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/regency-chocolate-the-correct-accoutrements/  

Kane, Kathryn. “Regency Chocolate-pale, thick and frothy” The Regency Redingote. May 13, 2011. Accessed Jan 8, 2018. http://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/regency-chocolate-mdash-pale-thick-and-frothy/>

Oldys, W., & Park, T. e. The Harleian Miscellany: a collection of scarce, curious, and entertaining pamphlets and tracts … found in the late Earl of Oxford’s library. Vol I. London: Printed for T. Osborne. 1744.

Perkins, John. Every Woman Her Own Housekeeper; Of, the Ladies’ Library. London. 1790

Raffald, Elizabeth. The Experienced English Housekeeper for the Use and Ease of Ladies, Housekeepers, Cooks, &c. Written Purely from Practice … Consisting of near Nine Hundred Original Receipts, Most of Which Never Appeared in Print. … The Tenth Edition. … By Elizabeth Raffald. London: Printed for R. Baldwin, 1786.

Rundell, Maria Eliza Ketelby. A New System of Domestic Cookery: Formed upon Principles of Economy, and Adapted to the Use of Private Families. A New ed. London: Printed for John Murray …, 1814.

Sanborn, Vic. “Hot Chocolate 18^th and 19^th Century style.” Jane Austen’s World.  Aug. 8. 2008. Accessed April 23, 2017. <http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/hot-chocolate-18th-19th-century-style/>