How to Make Cacao Tea (3 Ways)
An easy recipe for cacao tea with cacao nibs, cacao husks, or cocoa powder.
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Servings: 1 cup
Equipment
- tea pot or kettle
Ingredients
- 2-3 teaspoons cacao husks alt. cocoa nibs or 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sweetener optional
- ¼ cup milk optional
Instructions
- Measure out 2 to 3 teaspoons of cacao husks or nibs, or 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder, per cup (8oz.) of water.
- Bring the water to a near boil and pour it over the cacao in a teapot or French press, or even in a large metal pot.
- Allow the tea to steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your desired strength and flavor.
- Once the tea has reached your desired strength, strain it into a cup and discard the cacao blend. If you choose to add sweeteners and milk or dairy alternative, do so now, stirring until well combined.
Notes
Look to Coffee: If you need to use cocoa powder or another very finely-ground cacao product to brew your tea, consider using a coffee filter to strain out any particulates after brewing, as cocoa powder is quite thoroughly pulverized, and can otherwise make for a silty experience when drinking.
Time the Spices: though you can't really overextract cacao tea, like you could with proper tea leaves, you can certainly underextract them, and the same goes for any spices you add. Be sure to add any crushed or ground spices at the same time as the cacao, and filter out everything at the same time, or any particulates could continue to flavor the brew.
Cacao Tea Storage: though the cacao husks certainly store alright in the pantry for long periods of time, you can also store the brewed chocolate tea in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen as ice cubes indefinitely.