Hot chocolate is a delicious and inviting treat that warms up during the cold winter months! It is made with milk and cocoa powder and not with melted chocolate. Regardless of how you prepare it, you can enjoy a sweet cup of hot drink in no time!
Ingrediants
on the stove
For 4 servings
- 80 ml of water
- 70 g of bitter cocoa
- 150 g of white sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 850 ml of whole milk
- A pinch of vanilla extract
in the Microwave
For 1 serving
- 15 g of bitter cocoa
- 25 g of sugar
- About 350 ml of whole milk
- Whipped cream or marshmallow (optional)
with a ready-made blend
For 1 serving
- 1 Packet of Hot Chocolate Blend Powder
- 350 ml of whole milk
with a Chocolate Bar
For 5 servings
- 170 g of chopped hard chocolate
- 1 liter of milk (skim or whole according to your taste)
- Cream (optional)
- A pinch of salt (optional)
- Additional flavors such as vanilla, spices and herbs (cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect with this drink), liqueur, mint and so on
- Marshmallows (optional)
Cocoa powder
For 5 servings
- 50 g of cocoa powder
- 100 g of sugar
- 1 liter of milk (skim or whole according to your taste)
- 60 ml of water
- A pinch of salt (optional)
- Additional flavors such as vanilla, spices and herbs (cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect with this drink), liqueur, mint and so on
Steps
Method 1 of 6: on the stove
Step 1. Boil 80ml of water
You can put it in a saucepan on the stove or use the microwave and then add it to the dry ingredients before heating the mixture and stirring in the milk.
Step 2. Mix the sugar, cocoa and a pinch of salt in a saucepan
Do not turn on the stove for now, but combine the various ingredients in the pan. Use 70 g of unsweetened cocoa, 150 g of white sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring with a spatula or a whisk.
If you prefer, you can replace the sugar with a sweetener
Step 3. Add boiling water and simmer everything slowly
Transfer it carefully and turn on the burner over medium-low heat to gently boil the mixture; in the meantime, keep stirring.
Step 4. Simmer and stir for 2 minutes, then add 850ml of milk
When the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat level and continue cooking for two minutes without stopping stirring; then pour the whole milk and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
If you wish, you can use skim or semi-skimmed milk
Step 5. Heat the liquid until it starts to emit a wisp of smoke and then remove the pan from the heat
Don't let the chocolate boil, otherwise it's too hot to drink! Just increase the temperature until it releases a trickle of steam and never stop stirring; remove the saucepan from the heat and turn off the stove.
Step 6. Add a pinch of vanilla extract, mix and serve the drink
Before dividing the chocolate into the various cups, flavor it with vanilla and mix carefully to distribute it. Then pour it into 4 cups that you can garnish with a pinch of cinnamon, marshmallow or whipped cream; let it cool down a bit before sipping it!
Method 2 of 6: in the Microwave
Step 1. Put 15g of unsweetened cocoa and 25g of sugar in a cup
Generally, this drink is made with bitter cocoa, but if you have the sweet one you can reduce or omit the dose of sweetener. Mix the powders with a spoon and make sure the cup can be put in the microwave!
Step 2. Incorporate 15-30ml of whole milk and mix thoroughly
Add some milk to the cup, you can use skim or semi-skim milk if you like. Stir until you have eliminated all the lumps and you get a dark and thick mixture; this method is best for dissolving the sugar and cocoa instead of adding all the milk at once.
Step 3. Fill the cup with milk and continue stirring
Keep pouring until the bowl is almost full. The required dose depends on the capacity of the cup, but 350 ml is usually sufficient. Mix thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous fluid, but do not follow a circular trajectory, otherwise the lumps just "chase" each other. Constantly change towards for best results.
Step 4. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 60 seconds and stir again
Carefully transfer the cup to the appliance and activate it for a minute; when finished, stir again to make sure the sugar and cocoa have completely dissolved.
Step 5. Heat the drink for another 30 seconds
After mixing it, activate the microwave for another half minute or so to further increase the temperature of the liquid. Remove the cup from the oven, but be careful as it may be very hot; consider using an oven mitt!
Step 6. Stir the chocolate and serve it after garnishing according to your preferences
Make sure it is well uniform by mixing it and let it cool down a bit so as not to burn your mouth; you can enrich it with whipped cream or marshmallows for a delicious snack!
Alternatively, you can garnish the drink with ground cinnamon or a peppermint candy
Method 3 of 6: with a ready mix
Step 1. Pour the mixture into your favorite cup
You don't have to add sugar or other dry ingredients, as the mixture is ready to make a sweet and delicious cup of hot chocolate. You can choose the version with milk, dark or even white chocolate; some products even contain marshmallows.
Step 2. Add 350ml of very hot water or milk
The amount of liquid depends on the size of the cup, but you can heat it in the microwave or on the stove. The milk or water should be hot and steaming, but not hot.
Step 3. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the powder and add more ingredients if you like
You can use a stick or spoon to mix, but don't just follow a circular trajectory, move back and forth to dissolve the lumps well. You can enrich the drink as you like with marshmallows, ground cinnamon or even a sweet stick!
Method 4 of 6: Edit the Recipe
Step 1. Use water or milk replacers
If you are lactose intolerant, vegan or simply do not consume milk, you can use water, almond, soy or coconut milk; however, be aware that the drink prepared with water is less creamy and rich.
Step 2. Replace regular cocoa with dark cocoa for a more intense flavor
Feel free to change the type of cocoa you are going to use for this delicious drink; in addition to the dark one, you can use natural cocoa which is a little more acidic or the Dutch one which is less. You can also try blends of different products.
Step 3. Add cinnamon, mint or vanilla to flavor the chocolate
Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on the drink to make the flavor more complex; alternatively, throw in a peppermint sweet stick to mix the ingredients and get a fresh note of this herb. Another possibility is to sweeten the chocolate with vanilla extract, a couple of drops are enough for a cup
Step 4. Garnish with whipped cream or marshmallows for a creamier drink
"Mini" or full-sized marshmallows are a perfect ingredient! Place a couple on top of the drink to enjoy the sweetness as they blend; you can also decorate the cup with whipped cream!
Method 5 of 6: with a Chocolate Bar
Step 1. Get some good quality chocolate
Companies such as Lindt, Perugina, Novi and many others produce excellent chocolate; if you love the white one, trust Perugina.
- You can also find flavored tablets that are downright delicious;
- If you are using a chocolate that is already sweet enough for your taste, you don't need to add any more sugar; alternatively, use a dark product and add some sweetener to taste.
Step 2. Make the chocolate
Chop up the bar using a sharp knife (the serrated one is perfect); the smaller the fragments, the faster they dissolve.
- The basic recipe calls for 50g of chocolate per 250ml cup. Modify the doses according to the intensity of flavor you want to achieve; you can increase the proportion of chocolate for each cup or reduce that of milk. The decision is up to you, depending on your love for this product!
- In reality, it is not essential to shred the chocolate bar, but the small pieces melt first in the milk. In Mexico an interesting mixing tool is used, which is a wooden spoon with movable rings of the same material.
Step 3. Melt the chocolate
Put it in a 2-liter saucepan with 250 ml of milk and heat everything over medium-low heat; constantly mix the ingredients until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Do not leave the saucepan unattended, as the contents could burn easily.
- The water bath is an alternative to the direct heat technique. Put a small pot full of water on the stove over high heat and place a metal bowl on top of it; add the chocolate to the bowl and stir constantly until completely melted. Pour an equal amount of cream and mix to make a ganache; when finished, add the mixture to a cup of very hot milk.
- Add all the flavorings to the ganache as you mix the cream.
- Using the bain marie it is more difficult to burn the chocolate, but remember that the bowl is very hot!
Step 4. Flavor the mixture
Salt, liqueurs, spices and other ingredients must be incorporated at this stage. To make the flavor even more intense you must allow them to remain in infusion for a longer time; however, if you want the aromas to be just hinted at and more delicate, leave them out for the moment.
Step 5. Increase the heat to medium level
Add the rest of the milk while stirring constantly. If you notice black flakes floating on the surface, fear not: this is chocolate that has not yet melted and will disappear when the drink is hot.
- Sometimes it is necessary to stir vigorously with a whisk to completely melt the chocolate;
- If the mixture becomes too hot or you fear it might burn, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring, allowing the temperature to cool down; return it to the stove when the ganache has cooled.
- Don't let it bubble!
Step 6. Serve the chocolate in small cups
Garnish with your favorite ingredients, such as mint leaves, cinnamon sticks, or whipped cream. It will be delicious! You can also "beef up" the drink with a little whiskey, rum, brandy or mint schnapps
Method 6 of 6: Cocoa Powder
Step 1. Get good quality cocoa
The difference between chocolate and cocoa lies in the fact that the former also contains the fat part of cocoa beans, known as "cocoa butter"; the powdered product is instead the residue after the extraction of this fat. There's a noticeable difference in flavor, but a cup of hot chocolate made from cocoa is just as tempting, especially if you don't have a chocolate bar on hand.
Step 2. Mix the cocoa powder with the sugar and salt
Transfer them to a 2-liter saucepan and work them with a kitchen whisk to make them uniform; add the water without stopping stirring to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Step 3. Cook over medium heat
Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring constantly; afterwards, you can stop, lower the heat and let the chocolate simmer for two minutes.
- For this operation, the most suitable tool is the kitchen whisk, because the chocolate may not uniform the powders with the liquid in the best possible way, leaving you with a grainy drink.
- Just like with the first method, you can add as many flavors as you like at this stage.
Step 4. Pour in the milk
Incorporate it slowly while stirring and heat the chocolate until it gets very hot, but don't let it boil.
Step 5. Serve her
Transfer it to a cup.
Step 6. Garnish according to your preferences and add a dollop of whipped cream or marshmallows
Advice
- You can experiment with different types of chocolate to find the perfect flavored drink. Mix products of different origins, with varying percentages of cocoa or even different blends, such as preparations for white and dark chocolate; you can also use flavored bars.
- The pinch of salt intensifies the flavor of the chocolate.
- Feel free to stir in a tablespoon or two of cream to make the drink richer.
- The addition of malt gives the drink the flavor of chocolate covered biscuits.
- Try different herbs or spices such as basil, thyme, nutmeg, ginger or fennel! Mix fruit with herbs to make the chocolate more interesting. Cinnamon is a classic ingredient, as is dried chili! You can try mint and peppermint, especially during the holidays!
- Many people like to add marshmallows which make the chocolate creamy.
- Always remember that practice makes perfect!
- You can add some peppermint candy sticks during the Christmas holidays to make a tastier chocolate this season.
- If you want some foam on the surface, stir the drink vigorously before serving or use a hand mixer.
- The intensity of the chocolate typically determines the amount of milk you drink or serve to guests. A very rich drink is sipped in 120ml cups precisely because the flavor is very strong; the more delicate or diluted one is offered in larger portions, for example in a mug or a 250 ml cup.
- Keep the leftover drink in the refrigerator to sip it later; alternatively, you can let it cool completely to enjoy a fresh and rejuvenating chocolate. But remember to mix or shake it to redistribute the chocolate which tends to settle on the bottom and separate from the other ingredients.
- The cocoa content in chocolate is decisive for the flavor and intensity of the drink; for example, the one made up of 85% cocoa is very strong and too bitter for the taste people are used to. To balance the flavor, add sugar, sweeter chocolate, or even milk chocolate.
- If you love a creamier texture, know that a pinch of cornstarch helps thicken the drink; remember to sift it to prevent the chocolate from becoming lumpy.
- Drink it when it's not too hot.
- Another way to prepare the drink is to put some chocolate in the milk and heat it all in the microwave; add some marshmallows and enjoy a perfect chocolate!
- The simplest way to prepare it is to put some powdered chocolate in the cup following the instructions on the package regarding the doses; then pour in the recommended amount of boiling water and mix well. Your hot chocolate is ready!
