Who doesn't love CHOCOLATE? Especially hot chocolate during cold weather? There is nothing quite like sitting in front of the television or reading your favorite book with a "perfect" Hot Chocolate on a cold day... But like everything chocolate - it depends on your taste buds as to what you consider "perfect" to be. So today, I'm giving you five variants on this old favorite in the hope you will find one to suit your taste buds.
Let's start with the basics with a very simple hot chocolate recipe.
1. Simple Hot Chocolate
Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 4 cups milk
- 80 grams good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
- Marshmallows
Method:
Place the milk in the medium sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce to a low-heat. Place the dark chocolate in the saucepan and whisk until melted and combined. Pour the hot chocolate into the serving mugs and top with marshmallows.
2. White Hot Chocolate
Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 4 cups milk
- 160 grams good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
- whipped cream
Method:
Place the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce to a low-heat. Place 100 grams of the chocolate in the saucepan and whisk until melted and combined. Pour the hot chocolate into the serving mugs and top with cream and sprinkle over the remaining chocolate.
3. Chili Hot Chocolate
The Aztecs were the first to serve chocolate as a drink, but they also mixed it with hot chili pepper to make a really special beverage. So here is an exotic twist to hot chocolate.
Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 4 cups milk
- 100 grams chili dark chocolate, finely chopped
- whipped cream
- chili powder
Method:
Place the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce to a low-heat. Place the chocolate in the saucepan and whisk until melted and combined. Pour the hot chocolate into the serving mugs and top with a dollop of cream and then sprinkle with chili powder. If chili chocolate is unavailable, replace with dark chocolate but add one small fresh red chili, split length ways, to the milk whilst heating and remove the chili before serving.
4. Peppermint Hot Chocolate
How about a minty twist to the hot chocolate norm?
Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 4 cups milk
- 100 grams mint dark chocolate, finely chopped
- peppermint chocolate bar, roughly chopped
- marshmallows
Method:
Place the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer then reduce to a low-heat. Place the chocolate in the saucepan and whisk until melted and combined. Pour the hot chocolate into the serving mugs and top with marshmallows sprinkled with the chopped peppermint bar.
5. Rich Hot Chocolate and Churros
In Mexico, hot chocolate is a popular national drink, often serve with Churros. To eat this delicious doughnuts like they do in Mexico, give them a quick dunk in this rich hot chocolate.
Churros Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 125 grams butter, chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup (150 grams) plain flour, sifted
- 3 eggs
- vegetable oil, to deep fry
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) caster sugar
- 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Hot Chocolate Ingredients (makes 4 serving):
- 4 cups milk
- 400 grams good quality dark chocolates, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Method:
To make the Churros, place butter and one cup of water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until butter melts and water just comes to the boil. Add flour and stir until well combined and mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer, cool slightly then add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until mixture is smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle.
Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan to reach a level of about 4-5cm. (Oil is ready when a cube of bread browns in about 15 seconds.) Pipe 8 x 10cm lengths of dough into hot oil and cook for 1 minute each side, then drain on paper towel. Immediately place Churros on a tray containing the combined sugar and cinnamon and toss gently to coat. Repeat with remaining dough.
To make the hot chocolate, place the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, whisk in chocolate until melted and then whisk in cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Divide evenly into four cups and serve with the Churros.
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