It’s this time of the year where days are gray and foggy and you just need something to warm you up.
These hot chocolate recipes are quick and easy to make and will absolutely cheer you up after a long busy day of after spending time out in the cold.
Pink hot chocolate
I’ve been looking around for a pink hot chocolate recipe for some time after seeing it at a café in Vienna.
However, most recipes would just use food colouring to get the pink shade, which I did not like. Thus I came up with the below recipe which I did adapt from a couple of classic white hot chocolate recipes.
For one glass:
200 ml whole milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
50 g white chocolate
1-2 tablespoons red juice like cranberry
Whipped cream for serving
Bring milk to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Add vanilla extract and the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of red juice until the milk turns the pink you like it. Poor into a glass and top up with whipped cream.
Matcha hot chocloate
If you like matcha latte, you will definitely like this matcha hot chocolate too.
For one glass:
50 g white chocolate
1 teaspoon of matcha (not sweetened)
75 ml whole milk
Add milk, chocolate and matcha to a saucepan. Bring to a light simmer, than let simmer until the chocolate is melted.
Remove from the heat and whisk (or use a hand blender) to blend all three ingredients adding air to the mix.
Pour into a glass and serve.
Salted caramel hot chocolate with rum
There’s nothing better than a tasty hot chocolate topped up with a bit of booze. I love the combination of this rich caramel hot chocolate with dark rum.
150 ml whole milk
2 tablespoons thick caramel
50 g milk chocolate
25 ml dark rum
Mix the caramel and rum in a small bowl.
Bring milk to simmer in a saucepan then remove from the head. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.
Put back on the heat until it’s warmed up again. Add the rum and caramel mix.
Pour into a glass and serve.
Tequila Mint Hot Chocolate
Since I had generously stocked up with tequila for throwing an party for National Margarita Day last February and still had some tequila left in the cellar, I was looking around for a nice recipe mixing it with hot chocolate.
It seems like a lot of ingredients but it is really easy to prepare and the tequila and peppermint schnapps really works well with the chocolate.
For one glass:
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch of salt
150 g whole milk
15 g milk chocolate
25 g bittersweet chocolate
25 ml tequila
1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps
Whipped cream for serving
In a saucepan, mix the cocoa, sugar and salt. Add the milk, milk and bittersweet chocolate and keep steering all the time. Continue to steer over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.
Remove from heat and add tequila and peppermint schnapps.
Pour into a glass, top up with whipped cream and serve.
Red Wine Hot Chocolate
For a true wine lover, at first it might seem rather painful mixing wine with milk. But once you have tried this recipe I am sure you will like it. Believe me, it’s a great winter-warmer after a long busy work day.
Off course you won’t use your high quality Chianti Classico or Bordeaux-style blend. A nice, not too expensive bottle of dry red wine will do. Ideally, use a Merlot, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.
For 1 glass:
70 g semisweet chocolate
70 ml dry red wine
50 ml milk
25 ml cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
In a saucepan, mix the milk, cream, wine and chocolate. Bring to a light simmer over medium heat and stir until the chocolate has melted.
Remove from heat and take a sip to test the sweetness. If needed, add sugar. Then add vanilla extract and salt.
Pour into a glass and serve.
What is your favourite hot chocolate? Let me know.
Carrots and Tigers 