Ibarra is a brand of Mexican (English: "table chocolate"), produced since 1925, and since 1954 produced by the company Chocolatera de Jalisco of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The company manufactures other chocolate products, but Ibarra table chocolate is its best-known product, with presence throughout Mexico as well as international markets, mainly in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

, but also in parts of

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. Ibarra tablets are packaged in a distinctive red-and-yellow hexagon-shaped cardboard box. Each circular tablet of table chocolate is about 1/2" thick and 3" in diameter, and is molded into 8 wedges. The letters of the name "IBARRA" are also molded into the chocolate. The ingredients are cocoa paste, sugar, cinnamon, and soy lecithin. A premium grade version does not contain vegetable fat, which is often used in chocolate based foods as a less expensive substitute, with the only fat being the cocoa butter in the cocoa liquor. Unlike chocolate bars, and because of its undissolved

granulated sugar White sugar, also called table sugar, granulated sugar, or regular sugar, is a commonly used type of sugar, made either of beet sugar or cane sugar, which has undergone a refining process. Description The refining process completely removes ...

, and its rough and gritty texture, tablet chocolate is not meant to be eaten like a

chocolate bar A chocolate bar (Commonwealth English) or candy bar (some dialects of American English) is a confection containing chocolate, which may also contain layerings or mixtures that include nuts, fruit, caramel, nougat, and wafers. A flat, easily brea ...

, although Ibarra tablets can be eaten. However, Ibarra is used primarily to make

hot cocoa Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa or drinking chocolate, is a heated drink consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and usually a sweetener like whipped cream or marshmallows. Hot chocolat ...

in traditional Mexican form. The labeling on Ibarra's packaging suggests that the best way to prepare Ibarra is to use approximately two wedges for each cup of

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modula ...

water Water (chemical formula ) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living ...

. Heat the milk until it is near boiling, then blend the milk and chocolate in a

blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender container with a rotating me ...

until the chocolate is completely dissolved, and serve hot. Ibarra can also be prepared on the stove by dissolving the wedges in hot milk, then whisking the cocoa with a '' molinillo'' or wire whisk. In Mexico, in the traditional Aztec and Mayan form, Cayenne pepper is added to make it a spicy chocolate drink. It is also used in some mole sauces, in particular, ''mole poblano''.

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* (English) Brand name chocolate Companies based in Guadalajara, Jalisco Food and drink companies of Mexico Mexican brands Mexican chocolate {{Mexico-company-stub

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