Sip a Cup of Dessert

A piece of dark chocolate and a cup of tea—it’s a lovely combination, especially in the winter. Now imagine merging the two in your favorite mug. That’s what the Republic of Tea has done, creating one of the more interesting combinations I’ve encountered lately. By combining unsweetened herbal teas with a base of rich, unsweetened organic cocoa powder, thought to contain a high concentration of antioxidants, the company has designed two delicious and healthful beverages:

Coconut Cocoa Tea ($9.50/tin) blends chocolate and coconut with roasted carob and dates for natural sweetness. “It’s like an Almond Joy in a cup, without the calories,” says Marideth Post, Minister of Enlightenment at Republic of Tea. The tea can be enjoyed hot or cold in a Chocolate Coconut Iced Latte. Brew two Coconut Cocoa tea bags in 6 ounces of filtered water for five minutes. Remove bags and allow tea to cool. Add 3 ounces of milk or milk substitute. Blend milk and tea and serve in a tall glass over ice. Yields one serving.

Double Dark Chocolate Maté ($15/tin) uses organic roasted yerba mate leaves from Brazil dusted with all-natural dark organic cocoa powder. The 100-percent natural, low-fat organic cocoa powder is derived from fine dark chocolate that’s been through the conching process (a technique used to give chocolate a smooth, ultra-fine texture). The organic cocoa powder, which seeps a bit from the tea bag and drifts to the bottom of the tea cup, is meant to be consumed to recognize the full health benefits.

In addition to a soothing cold-weather beverage, both teas make uncommon holiday gifts.—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.