Homemade hot chocolate is the perfect tasty, comforting beverage for winter. It’s a hot drink, prepared with good chocolate, sometimes topped with whipped cream or marshmallow.
A warm cup will comfort you from the very first sip, perfect for a relaxing and cozy moment.
Homemade hot chocolate
When we talk about homemade hot chocolate, it often brings back memories of the childhood drink made with milk and sweetened cocoa powder (like Nesquik and the like), a liquid, cocoa-flavored drink that wasn’t exactly the most delicious.
It was a quick and instant preparation for Wednesday snacks and breakfasts before heading to school. If, like me, you don’t like this drink, you’ll find your pleasure in savoring this old-fashioned hot chocolate meticulously prepared with real chocolate.
This hot drink made with rich cocoa chocolate is creamy and very tasty. It can be enhanced with a variety of ingredients, such as vanilla, cinnamon, whipped cream, or even a dash of chilli for unique flavours.
What makes homemade hot chocolate so special is the freedom to craft a drink that perfectly suits your preferences. You can adjust the proportions, experiment with different types of chocolate and spices, to get the perfect cup every time.
Tips for good hot chocolate
Table of Contents
The choice of chocolate, to obtain a delicious, smooth and velvety hot chocolate, you need to use high-quality chocolate, which is usually less sweet. Chocolate must have a high cocoa content. The higher the percentage, the more you’ll get a rich and intense drink. I recommend a 70% chocolate, which offers a good balance.
The addition of a little cocoa, which is optional, will give the drink a rich color and enhance the chocolate flavor.
Replace some of the milk with full-fat heavy cream, Cream adds creaminess and smoothness. Even if you only use milk, your hot chocolate will still be creamy if you follow these tips.
The cooking process plays an important role in the creaminess of the hot chocolate. You can control the thickening by adjusting the cooking time. The longer you simmer your drink, the smoother it will be.
Creamy hot chocolate
Adding a little cornstarch will help thicken the mixture. It’s not essential.
Spice, You can add spices to flavor your hot chocolate, such as cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, five-spice powder, or tonka bean. Choose one spice or a mix. Prepare a delicious spiced hot chocolate for the holiday season and enjoy it with your family while opening gifts.
Ingredients:
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
- 350 ml milk (12.35 oz) or 250 ml milk ( 8.8 oz) and 100 ml heavy cream ( 3.5 oz).
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (7 g / 0.25 oz )
- 120 g (4.23 oz) 70% dark chocolate + 30 g (1 oz) extra at the end (dark or milk chocolate for extra sweetness).
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7 g / 0.25 oz )
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
- 1 tablespoon sugar (to add at the end if you like to soften the strength of the chocolate).
- 1 pinch cinnamon (optional, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the whipped cream (topping)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) heavy cream (30% fat) well-chilled and 1 level tablespoon of powdered sugar, or ready-to-use whipped cream from a can.
- Cocoa
- Marshmallows
Preparation steps :
Prepare the whipped cream
Start by preparing the whipped cream, or use ready-to-use whipped cream. Of course, you can drink hot chocolate without it.
Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar until stiff. Pipe the whipped cream and set aside in the refrigerator.
Prepare the hot chocolate
1. If you’re using chocolate bars, chop them into small pieces so that they melt quickly.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch and salt in a little milk taken from the recipe’s total amount.
3. Combine milk and cocoa in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
4. Whisk continuously to avoid lumps, then add the dissolved cornstarch while continuing to stir. The mixture should just simmer.
5. As soon as the mixture is homogeneous and begins to thicken slightly, add the chocolate and mix well until it melts.
6. Add the pinch of salt, cinnamon and vanilla.
7. Allow to thicken more or less to taste, stirring constantly. The hot chocolate should be smooth and creamy, yet liquid. If you find it too thick for your taste, add a little hot milk until you reach the texture you like.
8. Remove from heat, add the 30g (1 oz) of chocolate, and stir well to melt everything together.
9. Pour into 2 mugs or cups and pipe whipped cream on top. Decorate with Marshamallows. You can use either one or the other.
10. Dust with a light coating of cocoa powder and enjoy immediately. It should be drank while it’s still hot. The chocolate thickens as it cools. You can reheat it gently on low heat to avoid burning, in a double boiler, or in the microwave.
Tips of storage :
You can prepare it for 3 to 4 days and store it in a glass container in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
Take the quantity you need and reheat it over very low heat or in the microwave. If the texture thickens, add a little hot milk.
Recipe suggestions
Creamy homemade hot chocolate
Ingredients :
Hot Chocolate
- 350 ml (12.35 oz) milk or 250 ml milk ( 8.8 oz) and 100 ml heavy cream ( 3.5 oz).
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (7 g / 0.25 oz)
- 120 g (4.23 oz) 70% dark chocolate + 30 g (1 oz) extra at the end (dark or milk chocolate for extra sweetness).
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7 g / 0.25 oz)
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
- 1 tablespoon sugar to add at the end if you like to soften the strength of the chocolate.
- 1 pinch cinnamon optional, to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the whipped cream (topping)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) heavy cream (30% fat) well-chilled and 1 level tablespoon of powdered sugar, or ready-to-use whipped cream from a can.
- Cocoa
- Marshmallows
Instructions :
Prepare the whipped cream
- Start by preparing the whipped cream, or use ready-to-use whipped cream. Of course, you can drink hot chocolate without it.
- Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar until stiff. Pipe the whipped cream and set aside in the refrigerator.
Prepare the hot chocolate
- If you're using chocolate bars, chop them into small pieces so that they melt quickly.
- Dissolve the cornstarch and salt in a little milk taken from the recipe's total amount.
- Combine milk and cocoa in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk continuously to avoid lumps, then add the dissolved cornstarch while continuing to stir. The mixture should just simmer.
- As soon as the mixture is homogeneous and begins to thicken slightly, add the chocolate and mix well until it melts.
- Add the pinch of salt, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Allow to thicken more or less to taste, stirring constantly. The hot chocolate should be smooth and creamy, yet liquid. If you find it too thick for your taste, add a little hot milk until you reach the texture you like.
- Remove from heat, add the 30g (1 oz) of chocolate, and stir well to melt everything together.
- Pour into 2 mugs or cups and pipe whipped cream on top. Decorate with Marshamallows. You can use either one or the other.
- Dust with a light coating of cocoa powder and enjoy immediately. It should be drank while it's still hot.
- The chocolate thickens as it cools. You can reheat it gently on low heat to avoid burning, in a double boiler, or in the microwave.
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