Ibarra (chocolate)

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Ibarra is a brand of Mexican chocolate para mesa (English: "table chocolate") produced by the Chocolate Ibarra Group of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The company manufactures other chocolate products, but Ibarra table chocolate is by far its best-known product. The ingredients are sugar, cacao nibs, lecithin and cinnamon flavoring.

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 1/4" in diameter, and is molded into 8 wedges. The letters of the name "IBARRA" are also molded into the chocolate.

Table chocolate is not meant to be eaten like a chocolate bar (although some people do eat Ibarra tablets); the bars are rough and gritty in texture, not smooth like eating chocolate, due to the undissolved granulated sugar. Instead, Ibarra is used primarily to make hot cocoa. The Chocolate Ibarra Group suggests that the best way to prepare Ibarra is to use approximately two wedges for each cup of milk. Heat the milk until it is near boiling, then blend the milk and chocolate in a blender 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 wire whisk.