I don’t know a single person who could refuse a glass of hot chocolate. It is something you have got to have, especially once you’ve got a whiff of the rich and creamy beverage.Some might think hot chocolate and hot cocoa are the same and the terms are often used interchangeably, but actually they are quite different. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, which is chocolate pressed free of all its richness of cocoa butter. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars melted into cream and is a more flavourful drink.
There are various ways of preparing your hot chocolate. But as long as you prepare anything with love, little can go wrong.
For basic hot chocolate, take 3 cups milk and 150g dark chocolate, melt it together in a thick bottomed saucepan, add sugar as per taste. You could add the following flavours to it:
1. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a little chilli powder; revolting to some but that’s the way the Mexicans like their hot chocolate!
2. Instead of 150g of dark chocolate, use 75g white and 75g dark chocolate.
3. Slow brew the milk with a split pod of vanilla for a delicious smelling hot chocolate.
4. 1 teaspoon of coffee to the drink would give it a wonderfully earthy flavour.
5. You could add ground almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts.
6. Add a dash of liqueurs like Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Bailey’s, Amaretto or Frangelico.
The possibilities are endless but if you think any flavour goes with chocolate, then try it!
Whisk the drink well, top it with some whipped cream and a dash of chocolate sauce to have a sinfully decadent experience!
Something on my wis
h list is the molinillo (moh-lee-NEE-oh) which is the Mexican chocolate whisk warm drinks. I love my coffees and hot chocolates extremely frothy, so this would be wonderful to use.