Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate

Our answer

Nigella's Mexican Hot Chocolate (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) is made with good-quality hot chocolate powder (rather than unsweetened cocoa powder) and has Kahlua added. It is the Kahlua that gives the drink a Mexican twist, as the liqueur originated in Veracruz in Mexico.

The liqueur itself is coffee-flavoured and complements the chocolate. Coffee is also used as an ingredient in some chilli recipes so we suspect that it would be possible to spice up Nigella's version of the hot chocolate. Chilli powder is often a mixture of spices, including cumin, and garlic powder, so if you wanted just the heat from chillies then it may be better to add cayenne pepper or a chilli powder which is just made from ground chillies. The heat of the powder and the quantity should be tweaked to your personal taste, but it is best to add a small amount first and then taste the hot chocolate before adding more.