Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Champurrado
160 kcal a serving, against 396 for the traditional version. That is 236 kcal off, or 60%, with 8g of protein. Serves 6. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A dense, heavy hot drink built on whole milk and masa harina. It is heavily sweetened with unrefined brown sugar and flavoured with fatty dark chocolate and cinnamon, then boiled until it thickens into a rich liquid custard.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of dark chocolate swapped for 50g of unsweetened cocoa powder
Dark chocolate carries a massive amount of cocoa butter. Cocoa powder delivers the exact same deep flavour without the heavy fat dragging it down.
What it costs you. You lose the rich, velvety mouthfeel that melted chocolate fat provides. The drink is noticeably less luxurious, and the texture is flatter.
150g of brown sugar reduced to just 30g
Dropping the sugar removes a huge amount of raw energy that you simply don't need in a drink.
What it costs you. You end up with a bitter and earthy cup. The version that's a sweet dessert drink anymore is still out there and still better. You'll miss the thick syrup sensation that dissolved sugar brings to hot liquid. This is the first compromise you'll notice.
1000g of whole milk swapped for 1000g of semi-skimmed milk, and 100g of masa harina reduced to 60g
Semi-skimmed milk cuts the fat while holding the protein intact. Reducing the masa harina slightly stops the lighter milk from turning into a solid paste, keeping it drinkable.
What it costs you. Semi-skimmed milk lacks the creamy heft of whole milk. Combined with less masa, the final drink feels a bit thinner in the mouth. It doesn't coat your tongue quite as heavily.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 396 | 160 |
| Protein | 7.9g | 8g |
| Fat | 13.9g | 4.8g |
| Saturated fat | 7.8g | 2.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 61.3g | 26.1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2g | 5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk.
The method is in the book
You just made a gritty, bitter Aztec drink instead of a sweet commercial hot chocolate. What comes off the plate is the dripping decadence of a sugary pudding. You get a sharp, savoury mug of corn and cocoa. I think the earthy flavour of the masa harina actually shines brighter when it's not buried under a mountain of sugar. It takes some getting used to if you expect a sugar rush, but it works brilliantly as a warming winter drink.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback