The combination of chocolate and Chillies is always a hit. It is used to make some great spicy desserts with chillies, chocolate bars, sauces and drinks. Some would think this was a modern invention ! Wrong, I am afraid; the combination goes way back thousands of years ago.
Originally, the Mayans and eventually the Aztecs from Central America made a spicy drink by mixing chocolate and chillies called xocolātl ( spicy water). Fermented cocoa, vanilla, annatto, honey and Chillies were mixed with water to make a spicy, bitter drink that was frothy and thick.
Both cocoa and chillies were held in high esteem by the Mesoamericans. So much so that they used them as currency. They also loved using them in much of their cooking. Chillies, in particular, were used in virtually all their dishes.
Typical Aztec foods included tamales and tortillas served with spicy sauces. Other dishes were made with squashes, beans, and vegetables. They were mainly vegetarian, but would eat fish, duck, turkey, deer and other meats (including frogs, salamanders and iguana) when they were available. All, of course, would be spiced with their favourite spice – Chillies
In keeping with the past, modern day Mexican cooking has lots of dishes, both sweet and savoury, where chocolate and Chillies are combined. Among these are Spicy Mexican truffles , Spicy Mexican brownies and Mexican Chicken Mole
Buen provecho !