Hi Everyone! Lately I started making this Healthy-ish hot chocolate for myself. No Marshmallows, no Whipped Cream, no Cocoa mixes. Just a combination of real milk and real chopped chocolate and you get the ultimate comforting hot chocolate.
Oh, did I mention how easy it is to make? Watch this video and I’ll show you how it’s done!
But first, let’s talk about an interesting trend: why do so many people top their hot chocolate with mountains of whipped cream? No doubt it looks pretty in a mug, but isn’t the point of hot chocolate to be hot? By the time you eat that fluffy topping, the drink cools down! I might be a bit sarcastic, but it’s hard to deny that a classic hot chocolate should be savored warm, not cold or at room temperature. What are your thoughts on this?
Even though Hot chocolate is simple to make from pantry staples, there are a couple of things to consider.
Use good quality chocolate—I’m a dark chocolate kind of gal, as I don’t like anything overly sweet. In this recipe, I used an unsweetened gluten-free baking chocolate, but you can also use semi-sweet cooking bars or chocolate chips. If you prefer milk chocolate, that works too!
Since chocolate has a melting point around our body temperature (Reference – Chocolate tales ) due to its cocoa butter content, it’s easy to melt, and consequently also easy to burn.
So, you can either add your chopped chocolate directly into the saucepan of heated milk (with heat off) or pour the warmed milk over your melted chocolate in a mug, mixing well until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Use full-fat milk—You can make this hot chocolate with any type of milk—almond, oat, soy, coconut, or whatever works for you—but I recommend using whole milk with the maximum fat content. The higher the fat content in milk, the creamier the hot chocolate will taste. In Canada, whole milk typically has a fat content of around 3.25%. While it may not appear visibly thick, it provides a richer flavor, ensuring a luxuriously smooth hot chocolate with natural sweetness.
You’ve got to pay attention how you heat the milk, too. Slow, even heating ensures the milk won’t boil, so whisk often and don’t rush the process.
Sweetener – I always use sugar (preferably demerara) when making hot chocolate because it gives a much better flavor than maple syrup or honey—I’m not sure why, but it does! You can, of course, use whatever sweetener you like.
This cup of hot chocolate offers a rich, deep flavor without being overly indulgent, making it a guilt-free treat you can enjoy anytime, anywhere.
Ingredients
- 350 ml milk of choice, I used full fat (3.25%) dairy based milk
- 1.20 oz gluten free baking chocolate bar, finely chopped ( I used unsweetened )
- 1 tbsp sweetener ( I used demerara sugar)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract for added depth of flavor
Instructions
- Combine milk and sugar in a small saucepan and place on the stovetop over medium low heat.
- Add chopped chocolate to a cup. Pour about a quarter cup warm milk over chocolate.
- Mix with a spoon or mini spatula until the chocolate has completely melted.
- Add in vanilla extract and salt. This is your ganache base.
- When the milk reaches the scalding point (180 degrees F, with bubbles on the side), turn off the heat.
- Pour the heated milk over melted chocolate whisking to combine. And you're done!
- Insert the hand held milk frother into the cup
- Turn on the frother to create a creamy foam. Alternately you can froth the milk in the saucepan and then mix the frothed milk into your hot chocolate mixture.
- Serve with chocolate shavings.
- Enjoy warm!
Notes
Hot chocolate can be reheated in microwave or on stovetop. Just need to make sure you don’t bring it to a boil.
Bringing hot chocolate to Angie’s Kinky party @ Fiesta Friday.
angiesrecipes
It’s true that it looks fancy and beautiful with whipped cream, but yours looks terrific without. Merry Christmas if you celebrate it :-))
Balvinder
Thank you, Angie!
No, we don’t celebrate Christmas as such but our daughter put up the tree and it looks beautiful as a winter decor.
Also, we and our friends definitely do end of the year dinners!
sherry
sounds delicious. I like to use Lindt 70% dark chocolate for cooking or drinking! And it’s not too sweet so win-win!
cheers
sherry
Pattie
I have been craving hot chocolate, but it’s been unseasonably warm here which, I’ve gotta tell you, is starting to annoy me. I’ve never made it this way before. It sounds heavenly. It’s supposed to cool off at the end of next week. I’m going to try this then. Happy new year!
Gerlinde de Broekert
This is recipe I definitely will try and I have one of those little frother.
Balvinder
Frother is a cool gadget to have.