Ingredients
- 900 ml whole milk
- 500 ml water
- 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 120 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 75 ml Quebec maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 1 pinch salt
Method
- Warm the milk, water, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt over medium heat.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and maple syrup until smooth.
- Add the chocolate and whisk until melted and lightly frothy.
- Remove the cinnamon and serve hot.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 65 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Use 75 ml maple syrup for 65 g sugar; reduce the usual 1.5 litres of milk and water by 60 ml. No oven adjustment applies.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple rounds cocoa's bitterness and reinforces the drink's cinnamon notes. It brings a subtle caramel flavor without displacing the traditional chocolate-and-spice profile.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →