This easy Hot Chocolate recipe is for chocolate lovers everywhere. This comforting drink is silky smooth, takes just 4 minutes to make and uses 3 easy-to-find ingredients. It is warming and delicious and really simple to make. What’s holding you back?
If you’ve ever made a Hot Chocolate drink using cocoa you’ll be familiar with how difficult it can be sometimes to get everything mixed smoothly together without cocoa powder clumps. All that mixing of cocoa with milk to a paste and followed by adding the hot milk and then, after all that effort, still end up with floating, undissolved clumps of cocoa. Nobody wants clumps of cocoa powder in their cocoa. So, what other options do you have?
This recipe uses actual chocolate, chocolate from a chocolate bar. This is what makes this Hot Chocolate drink so amazing. Use your favourite bar, one that preferably has a minimum of 70% cocoa solids, for the best flavour. A bar with 70% minimum cocoa solids is smooth and deliciously intense. However, if your thing is more milk chocolate you can use that but it won’t have the same delicious depth of flavour.
Ingredients
Create your warming hug-in-a-mug with these simple ingredients.
- Milk – use whole milk for a lovely depth of flavour but substitute semi-skimmed milk if you prefer. Oat milk has a nice creaminess to it and also works very well in this recipe as does almond milk.
- Chocolate 70% – this will melt into the milk giving the whole drink a rich chocolate flavour. Substitute other types of chocolate if you prefer but the best flavour will come from using a 70% chocolate bar.
- Sugar – a little sweetener to suit your personal tastes. I specify a teaspoon of sugar for each cup in the recipe but feel free to adjust this if you wish.
- Substitute a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup if you prefer.
Method for making Hot Chocolate
This easy Hot Chocolate recipe involves just a few simple steps then you’ll have a delicious warming, velvety smooth drink.
- Warm the milk (you may use dairy or non-dairy versions) but be careful not to boil it. Milk proteins do not like being boiled and the milk will take on a ‘grainy’ look if it is overheated. You can do this in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Heat it until it is just steaming.
- In the meantime, chop the chocolate into small pieces. This makes it quicker and easier for it to melt into the milk.
- Once the milk is at temperature, turn off the heat (or take it out of the microwave) and add the chopped-up chocolate. Whisk with a small hand whisk until it has all melted into the milk.
- Taste briefly to see if you need sweetener and add a teaspoon of sugar if you think it requires it.
- Pour into a cup and add any other accompaniments such as marshmallows or whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!
Variations to the basic Hot Chocolate recipe
There are a few things that you can do to this basic recipe to ring the changes.
- Add a few drops of orange extract for Chocolate Orange hot chocolate.
- Add a few drops of peppermint extract for a wonderful Hot Mint Chocolate drink.
- How about a spiced cinnamon version? Simmer the milk (don’t boil it ), with a cinnamon stick to flavour the milk.
- Fancy a boozy version? Well if you do, you could add a drop of your favourite liqueur such as Amaretto with its distinctive almond flavour or a drop of brandy or rum. Your choice.
Serving
This drink may be a warm hug on a cold day, a special treat to make everything feel better but how are you going to serve it?
It’s a delicious, intense, indulgent drink just as it is but what can you do to really dress it up a little? Well, there are a few flavour variations as detailed above and you can also add a few other favourites.
- Tiny marshmallows that are made especially for adding to the top of warm drinks such as coffee and hot chocolate. (vegan versions are available)
- Whipped cream, adds a little gorgeousness and it looks even better if you grate a little chocolate over the top.
Tips for Success
- Take a few minutes to read through the instructions. There isn’t much that can go wrong but it’ll help you make a great hot chocolate.
- Do not use chocolate chips. This might seem like a great way to cut out a step (the chopping of the chocolate bar) but chocolate chips often contain stabilisers to help them stay whole in recipes such as in Chocolate Chip cookies. This looks pretty in the cookies but won’t melt easily to make a great cup of cocoa.
- Taste before adding sweetener. If you’re like me and your favourite chocolate is bittersweet like a 70% cocoa solids bar will be then you may not need the sweetness.
- Try and avoid boiling the milk for the best, smooth, velvetty hot chocolate drink.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you try it please let me know how it worked out for you.
If you liked this recipe then maybe you’ll like these;
Things to go with your Hot Chocolate…
- Soft, chewy Oat and raisin cookies
- Simple chocolate chip cookies
- Oat and coconut cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies and Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Ginger Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Easy Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe using a Chocolate Bar
Equipment
- small saucepan
- small whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi-skimmed milk use your preferred type. Oat milk and almond milk work well.
- 2 ounces chocolate bar (70% cocoa solids for best results) roughly chopped (this helps it to melt into the milk faster)
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional, to suit your personal taste
Instructions
- Warm the milk (you may use dairy or non-dairy versions) but be careful not to boil it. Milk proteins do not like being boiled and the milk will take on a ‘grainy’ look if it is overheated. You can do this in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Heat it until it is just steaming.
- In the meantime, chop the chocolate into small pieces. This makes it quicker and easier for it to melt into the milk.
- Once the milk is at temperature, turn off the heat (or take it out of the microwave) and add the chopped up chocolate. Whisk with a small hand whisk until it has all melted into the milk.
- Taste briefly to see if you need sweetener and add a teaspoon of sugar if you think it requires it.
- Pour into a cup and add any other accompaniments such as marshmallows or whipped cream. Serve and enjoy
Notes
- Add a few drops of orange extract for Chocolate Orange hot chocolate.
- Add a few drops of peppermint extract for a wonderful Hot Mint Chocolate drink.
- How about a spiced cinnamon version? Simmer the milk (don’t boil it ), with a cinnamon stick to flavour the milk.
- Fancy a boozy version? Well if you do you could add a drop of your favourite liqueur such as Ameretto with its distinctive almond flavour or a drop of brandy or rum. Your choice.
- Tiny marshmallows that have been made specially for adding to the top of warm drinks such as coffee and hot chocolate. (vegan versions are available)
- Whipped cream, adds a little gorgeousness and it looks even better if you grate a little chocolate over the top.
- Take a few minutes to read through the instructions. There isn’t much that can go wrong but it’ll help you make a great hot chocolate.
- Do not use chocolate chips. This might seem like a great way to cut out a step (the chopping of the chocolate bar) but chocolate chips often contain stabilisers to help them stay whole in recipes such as Chocolate Chip cookies.This looks pretty in the cookies but won’t melt easily to make a great cup of cocoa.
- Taste before adding sweetener. If you’re like me and your favourite chocolate is bittersweet like a 70% cocoa solids bar will be then you may not need the sweetness.
- Try and avoid boiling the milk for the best, smooth, velvetty hot chocolate drink.
Nutrition
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