My sister always accuses me of being a hoarder. Not the kind that appears on some reality TV show, needing intervention, no. But yeah, I must admit that I do hoard things. A lot. In the spirit of turning over a new leaf, I decided to clear out my cupboards and discovered that I had stockpiled, not only 1, not only 2, but 8 rolls of tablea!!!
What is tablea?
Tablea is a Spanish word that means tablet. For Filipinos, tablea simply equates to chocolate tablet. Tablea is made from roasted local cacao beans that were grounded to form a chocolate paste. The resulting paste is then molded into tablets.
Since I had a veritable pile of tablea rolls on hand, my hands were really itching to use them. I flipped through my notebook (where I write my recipe ideas) and finally settled on making the easiest and most common recipe for tablea: tablea tsokolate.
Tablea tsokolate is the ultimate Filipino hot chocolate. Another term for it is tsokolate de batirol (batirol or batidor being the local term for the molinillo, a wooden whisk or frother). Aside from its rich chocolatey taste, authentic tsokolate is also characteristically frothy.
Like any average Filipino, I didn’t have any batirol lying around in the house so I made do with the cheap milk frother that I got for only $2. It worked wonders on the tsokolate, so much so that my kitchen walls have now become an avant-garde art piece of brown splatter. 10/10 for both art and function. ?
Tsokolate Eh, Tsokolate Ah
Did you know that the tsokolate was featured in Jose Rizal’s masterpiece, Noli Me Tangere? Rizal cleverly used the tsokolate as a subtle way to drive his point (social injustice) home. Drinking tsokolate was an important marker of a person’s social or political clout; the tsokolate‘s thickness increases in proportion to your relative importance.
In the bad old days of colonialism, tsokolate eh (for espeso, rich and thick) was served to the elites of society, aka the colonizers and their ilk. The masses only got the watered down version, tsokolate ah (for aguado, thin and watery).
Whether it is eh or ah, tablea tsokolate is traditionally made with tablea, milk or water, and a bit of sugar. If you want to kick it up a notch, try topping it with some whipped cream, cacao powder, chocolate syrup, or even broken pieces of tablea.
Ready to make that perfect cup of hot tablea tsokolate?
Tablea Tsokolate (filipino hot chocolate)
Ingredients
- 360 ml 1 1/2 cup water
- 360 ml 1 1/2 cup milk
- 6 60 grams tablea, unsweetened
- 55 grams 1/4 cup sugar
Optional Toppings:
- whipped cream
- cacao powder
- chocolate syrup
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, boil the water, milk, and tablea tablets. Whisk occasionally to ensure that the tablea tablets are dissolved.
- Once the mixture has boiled, add the sugar.
- Lower the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove from heat. Whisk using a batirol or a frother until the mixture turns frothy.
- Transfer to individual cups and top with selected toppings.
Video
Notes
Cream may be substituted for the milk. The resulting drink will be thicker.
Add more tablea for a richer and stronger chocolate taste.
A Filipino Hot Chocolate Recipe That Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
If you’ve ever had a cup of Filipino hot chocolate, you probably know that it has many names. Tablea, tableya, and sikwate, are all names for the same drink. Whether you call it tablea, tableya, or sikwate is up to you, but you’ll find a basic recipe for it in this article. Listed below is a recipe for Filipino hot chocolate that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.
Tablea
The Filipinos use tablea in their hot chocolate, a small tablet of chocolate, to add flavor and texture to the drink. They enjoy this with a glass of milk or hot chocolate. The Filipino version of tablea tastes best when it’s served with pinipig, a young glutinous rice, or champorado, a type of hot chocolate porridge served over white or sweetened rice. If you’d like to make your own Filipino hot chocolate recipe, you’ll want to follow a few simple steps.
If you’re a Filipino, buying tablea is fairly simple. Most supermarkets carry tablea, and you can even order it online from online stores like Amazon. Look for a product that lists its ingredients. Make sure the chocolate is properly fermented and dried. If you don’t have any in-country tablea, you can also buy an 85% or higher dark chocolate disc. The higher the chocolate percentage, the more delicious the drink will be.
Tableya
If you love hot chocolate, a traditional Filipino tableya recipe is the perfect way to get your fix. These delicious treats are made from 100% pure cocoa and sugar, but you can also add other ingredients to make it a little more special. These recipes also include a step-by-step guide to preparing the drink. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common ingredients and their uses.
The Filipino version of hot chocolate is known as Tsokolate. It goes well with different dishes, like pandesal (Filipino bread rolls) during breakfast, and desserts. Unlike hot chocolate made from milk or sugar, the bitter flavor of Tablea Chocolate helps to balance out the sweetness. You can also use Tablea Chocolate to make a variety of desserts that include water and chocolate. The chocolate in Tableya is made from 100% pure cacao, which keeps the fat content and flavor.
Sikwate
The classic Filipino hot chocolate is served for breakfast in the Philippines. Similar to chocolate caliente served in Cuba and other parts of Latin America, the Filipino version is a sweet, mild beverage. Traditionally, it is made with tablea, chocolate, sugar, milk, and whipped with molinillo or batirol. To make it healthier, you can also use dark chocolate with an 85% or higher cacao percentage. The higher the percentage of chocolate, the better the drink will be.
Sikwate is traditionally made with tablea, which is ground cacao beans mixed with water. A tablea is a small ball of chocolate that weighs around one ounce. A tablea is dissolved in one cup of water and simmered for five minutes, stirring constantly, until the consistency is desired. Then, it is flavored with milk or sugar. While the Filipino version is served warm, the drink can be served with ice cubes, as well.
Tablea de Cacao
Tablea is a Mexican chocolate disc that weighs 1.3 ounces. Simply dissolve it in a cup of boiling water, stir constantly, and simmer for 5 minutes. Once melted, add milk and sugar to taste. Traditionally, Filipino hot chocolate was made with only tablea. In recent years, though, more Filipinos have started experimenting with the drink. To find a recipe that tastes just right for you, check out these tips.
To make your own authentic Filipino hot chocolate, you’ll need a tablea de cacao, sugar, milk, and cream. These ingredients can vary slightly depending on the region. The basic recipe for hot chocolate is the same for any region of the country, but some variations are also common. For example, in some areas, the chocolate is mixed with cream or milk and whipped. Occasionally, a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla add a bit of spice to the drink.
Tableang Tsokolate
Tableang Tsokolate is a thick, sweet, and bittersweet beverage that originated in the Philippines. It is a favorite among Filipinos, especially those from Batangas province. The Filipino version is made using tablea, a type of chocolate derived from the cocoa bean. This type of chocolate is tempered with sugar and milk. This delicious drink is the perfect dessert to celebrate the end of a long day.
The traditional Philippine hot chocolate recipe calls for two main ingredients, tablea de cacao. Generally, tablea is made from 100% pure cacao, which preserves the fat content better than hot chocolate powder mixes. Tableang Tsokolate is best served with a side of suman, a native rice cake wrapped in banana leaves. You can also add milk or sugar if you like. However, you must add at least one tablespoon of tablea per cup of tableang tsokolate.
