Cacahuatl for the Mayas and the Toltecs (xocoacl) for the Aztecs chocolate was born in South America where this ritual beverage was reserved for princes, priests, high officials, and rich traders, a bitter and spicy mixture with aphrodisiac and revitalizing virtues xocoatl was a cold and foamy mixture of cocoa paste and water to which pepper, vanilla, chili pepper, cinnamon, musk, and corn flour were added.  In 1502, on the island of Guanaja during his fourth voyage, for the first time, Christopher Columbus saw Indians use cocoa as a beverage and the beans as money, but it was not until 1509 that Cortez considered this product important and planned to bring some back to Spain.  The Spanish modified the recipe by adding honey then cain sugar to enjoy the beverage hot at any time of the day, instead of water or wine.  Boiling water was poured over the cocoa paste, sugared, then whipped into foam.  The spices were replaced by anise seed and orange blossom water, in addition to almonds or hazelnuts.  The beverage was served with fried bread that was dipped in the chocolate. 

Having arrived in Spain in 1527, chocolate was only of interest in convents and monasteries, at first.  Since the Vatican allowed it for long periods of fasting.  A medicinal and nourishing beverage, which stimulates fertility at the end of the 16th century, it entered the court of Spain and aristocratic homes where this new beverage was enjoyed with sweets, jams, eggs, and milk. 

Popular among the nobility and the bourgeoisie of Europe during the 17th century the taste and texture of chocolate became more refined and its flavors were developed.  Cinnamon, cloves, egg yokes, and madiera wine, as well as jasmine or citron in Italy. 

In England, it became popular in chocolate houses, where it was served with milk.  In Germany people preferred dissolving it in wine.  In 1674, chocolate was sold in solid form for the first time, as a Spanish style pudding.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, industrialization, a decrease in taxes, and the development of transport made chocolate more democratic.  The invention of cocoa powder made it possible to create instant chocolate flavored beverages with less fat and the variety of chocolate bars increased.

In 1866, chocolate entered pastry shops, where it was used in composing cream desserts, creams, and biscuits.  The 20th century was an explosion of gourmet pleasures, individual filled portions, chocolate bars, chocolate sweets, couverture, chocolate, ganache, and chocolate squares to be served with coffee.