Easy Drink Recipe Horchata with Chocolate and Pumkin Seeds

Ingredients:
1/2 c blanched almonds.
1/2 c pepitas.
1 c long-grain white rice.
5 1/2 c water.
1 1/2 ounce dark chocolate.
2 ounces dark brown sugar.
1 vanilla bean
1 2-inch pice cinnamon bark.
Additional  ground cinnamon & sugar, to taste.

Directions:
Step 1

• Grind the rice, pepitas & almond to a coarse powder & pour into a bowl.
• To the powder, add seeds from 1 vanilla & cinnamon dark.
• Pour in 3 1/2 c water, toss, & cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Let sit overnight.

Step 2

• The next day, pour the watery rice and nut mixture into a medium saucepan & warm it over a low flame.
• Stir in 1 1/2 ounces chopped very dark chocolate, 2 ounce dark brown sugar, & 2 c water, mixing until all well combined.(You may wish to add more sugar & cinnamon)
• Once the liquid is even in color & just barely simmering, remove the saucepan fromheat & let it come to room temperature.
• Then pour the contents into a bowl, cover, & let chill for at least 180 mins (3 hours).

Step 3

• Ounce it has cooled, strain the horchata-which should be a milky, deppled brown-through a fine-mesh sive & and into a pitcher, talking care to press the last bits of liquid from the rice & seed solids.
• If some nutty kernels make their way into the pitcher, don't worry; the will only enhance the drink's wonderfully thick texture.
• To serve, pour over ice cube and garnish with a piece of cinnamon bark, Enjoy immediately