How to Make the Best Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate, a sweet heated cocoa beverage created by the Maya more than 2,000 years ago. Normally in The United States people have thought of hot chocolate as being reserved only for cold weather while in other parts of the world all ages enjoy hot chocolate year round all day long.
In South America hot chocolate is a part of everyday life. Served in the afternoon with cinnamon spiced long doughnuts called churros, hot chocolate service is much like tea time in Britain. Fortunately, hot chocolate is gaining popularity here in the USA, and with easy online shopping of high quality cocoa ingredients, hot chocolate consumption has expanded from the winter environment to a year round subtle indulgence that everyone enjoys.
Dr. Antonio Colmenero de Ledesma published the first hot chocolate recipe around the year 1631 in a book called “A Curious Treatise of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate”; the recipe was:
“Take one hundred cocoa beans, two chillies, a handful of anise seed and two pods vanilla (two pulverized Alexandria roses can be substituted), two drams of cinnamon, one dozen almonds and the same amount of hazelnuts, half a pound of white sugar and enough annatto to give some color. And there you have the king of chocolates.”
Below we are going to share with you three amazing and really simple recipes to make the best homemade hot chocolate. Because the chocolate is the main ingredient, we are going to use just organic dark chocolate from Santa Barbara Chocolate.
Ingredients:
For the basic hot chocolate:
- 2 cups of milk
- 4 oz of Organic Dark Chocolate Couverture Hispaniola 60%
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp of sugar
For the topping:
- ½ cup of whipped cream
- 2 oz of Organic Dark Chocolate Couverture Hispaniola 60%
- 1 tsp of butter
Instructions:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the 2 cups of milk, salt, sugar and dark chocolate.
- Stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted. If you feel it is too thick, add 2 – 3 tbsp of milk.
- Don’t miss the pinch of salt! Even if you think it sounds weird, adding a pinch of salt to your hot chocolate will enhance the chocolate flavor.
Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
The combination of chocolate and cinnamon is glorious! I totally recommend you sprinkle ground cinnamon over your favorite chocolate frosting, it is amazing. Best part is that both, dark chocolate and cinnamon have many health benefits, do you need another reason to try this fantastic cinnamon hot chocolate?
Ingredients:
For the cinnamon hot chocolate:
- 2 cups of milk
- 4 oz of Organic Dark Chocolate Couverture Hispaniola 60% (Belgian Dark Chocolate is a nice option also)
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
- Cinnamon sticks
Instructions:
- Prepare your hot chocolate following the same instructions as the basic recipe.
- When the chocolate is completely melted, add the sifted ground cinnamon. Stir 15 seconds.
- Serve your hot chocolate and add some crushed cinnamon sticks on top.
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
There are two kind of people, peanut butter and jelly ones and peanut butter and chocolate; guess our favorite side?This peanut butter hot chocolate is my favorite because it is tasty and thick, the perfect snack.
Ingredients:
For the peanut butter hot chocolate:
- 2 cups of milk
- 5 oz of Organic Dark Chocolate Couverture Hispaniola 60% (Caribbean Dark Chocolate is a great option too)
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- 2 tbsp of creamy peanut butter
- Peanuts, crushed
Instructions:
- Set aside 1 oz of organic dark chocolate.
- Make your hot chocolate following the same instructions as the basic recipe.
- When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, add the creamy peanut butter and stir until everything is combined.
- Melt the remaining 1 oz of dark chocolate. You can do it over a double boiler or in the microwave. If you choose the second method, heat the chocolate for 5 seconds, stir, and continue doing the same until it is melted.
- Take the cup that you are going to serve the hot chocolate in and add melted chocolate around the edge.
- Roll the edge of the cup in the crushed peanuts.
- Serve your peanut butter hot chocolate and enjoy!
https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/chocolatier-jason-vishnefske/