My love for hot chocolate –
Hello!! It’s that time of the year again – rainy season and a chill start to our winters. This is the time where I would want to wear some hoodie on and have a warm glass of ‘chocolate’!! uh-oh not milk but hot chocolate!
Hot chocolate is such a satisfying and cozy drink. I would say it’s the coziest of all the drinks. Making a rich and creamy hot chocolate, watching the rain or listening to the music on a Sunday evening – it’s a feeling altogether. Not just at home, I love to go out to cafes and have a cup of good old original hot chocolate! Ahh it is like melted happiness in a cup.
For all the people who like chocolate in general I’m sure you would love hot chocolate too! It’s something you cannot let go off once you try it.
Are you like me, who puts chocolate outside at room temperature for a bit before you even eat it. I love that little melted chocolate – the silky-ness and texture it adds to the chocolate is too tasty.
What is hot cocoa and hot chocolate?
Most people use these terms interchangeably but in reality they are different drinks. Hot cocoa is exactly as it sounds – cocoa powder, sugar, milk powder and is typically dissolved in water. But, hot chocolate on the other side, hot chocolate or drinking chocolate is as exciting as it sounds – it’s basically warm melted chocolate in your mouth! This luxurious drink is very simple to make – just melted chocolate and milk. This tastes way better, is richer and thicker than the hot cocoa drink which is with water and hence doesn’t hold the texture and depth to it.
How to make hot chocolate – Simple home-made version
Step 1 –
One of the most important points – Quality matters!
Remember to get your hands on some good chocolate, preferably 70% dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. This helps to add a lot of richness to your hot chocolate but however you can go a little sweeter with your chocolate as well.
If you use a sweeter chocolate it might just get a little difficult to finish your cup of hot chocolate in one single go but well we have got all our time and day to enjoy the drink so go as per your preference!
Step 2 –
Warm up milk ( 4 cups of milk ); as it gets to a boil you can add a pinch of cinnamon powder, 4-5 drops of vanilla extract or ¼ of a vanilla bean.
Step 3 –
Take 80 grams of good quality dark chocolate and double boil* it. Double boil helps us to melt chocolate using indirect heat (in the form of steam) rather than direct heat from a stove. This indirect heat melts the chocolate more gradually hence reducing the risk of overheating or from causing irregular lumps.
Double boil – Placing the chocolate bar in the saucepan on the upper compartment and boiling water on the lower side.
Step 4 –
Add the melted chocolate in the warm milk and keep stirring it slowly until both – milk and chocolate mix completely.
And wohoo your hot chocolate is ready for you to enjoy! Watch a series or movie on Netflix and enjoy the feel with your cup of homemade hot chocolate!
Remember if you used a sweeter chocolate bar then add a pinch of salt during the mixing as it gets too sweet for few of us. Hence, to balance out the sweetness you can add a pinch of salt.
Toppings for your Hot chocolate
One of the most popular toppings for hot chocolate is marshmallow! That’s it standard marshmallow adds such a feeling to our hot chocolate altogether.
You can also take some milk, using a milk foamer you can create a lighter whipped cream.
If you are still stuck in a mood where you don’t want to do all this process, if you are not yet there – I get it! But, you have to try this out someday when you have the time because it is worth it!
We get these ready made Hot Cocoa mixes which you can just mix up with some warm milk and enjoy. However, keep in mind this will not taste like your rich, authentic, silky hot chocolate but does the job and satisfies are at the moment carvings!
Best Hot Chocolate mix powders available in India!
Hershey’s hot chocolate drink powder mix (200 g for – Rs 200)
Cadbury hot chocolate powder drink mix (200 g for – Rs 175)
I have tried these two – they mix well and give a balanced rich chocolate flavor. You can get your hands on one of these which would come for months for sure.
Fun facts of hot chocolate
Beginning of hot chocolate
The concept of hot chocolate or chocolate in liquid form dates back thousands of years. Before chocolate bars came up, chocolate was consumed in a liquid form! Southern Mexico was first to roast the fruit from a cacao tree and mix it with water.
Health benefits
Chocolates have antioxidants in abundance! Also chocolate contains theobromine which is known as a mood elevator. Hence, this cozy drink has psychological health benefits. Ahh a sly way to have more chocolate ; )
Now in Gourmet style
In the recent decade this has become such a popular beverage that restaurants have gone in style with it. They have made hot chocolate available in varied forms and also with different flavors and spices.
I hope you guys try out your homemade hot chocolate or next time when you are out at a cafe try out their signature hot chocolate beverage!
Enjoy your next cup of chocolate! 🙂