How to Make Rich Hot Chocolate at Home: Recipes & Easy Variations
About 3 min read
Winter is a season when warm drinks are a must. Among them, hot chocolate stands out for its gentle sweetness and the comforting aroma of cacao, which soothe bodies stiffened by the cold. To explore the many ways to enjoy hot chocolate, we turned to Dandelion Chocolate, a San Francisco–based specialty chocolate maker that is dedicated to quality from the careful selection of cacao beans onward.
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【Advised by】Dandelion Chocolate
Table of Contents
Getting to Know Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is a drink made by dissolving powdered chocolate in hot water or milk. A similar beverage, cocoa, is made using cocoa powder from which the fat (cocoa butter) has been removed from cacao beans, whereas hot chocolate is made from chocolate that still contains cocoa butter.
Compared to the lighter taste of cocoa, hot chocolate is known for its rich, full-bodied flavor. Since being introduced from Central and South America to Spain in the 16th century, hot chocolate has been loved all over the world.
Dissolve It with Milk Heated in a Pot
Now, let’s make some hot chocolate.
We’ll be using Dandelion Chocolate’s “Hot Chocolate Mix.” Add 30 grams (one serving) to a cup.
Next, heat 170 ml of milk (about one mug) in a pot.
The key point is to slowly stir the milk over low to medium heat and warm it to 65°C. This helps the milk heat evenly, prevents lumps when mixed with the chocolate, and allows the aroma of the cacao to develop more fully.
If you want to enjoy a rich, smooth hot chocolate just like at a café, be sure to try this method!
Once you pour the warmed milk into the hot chocolate mix, it’s ready! If you dissolve the chocolate in a small amount of hot water first, it will melt more easily and create a smoother texture. You can also adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding sugar or honey.
Simple Ways to Make Hot Chocolate Even More Delicious
With its simple flavors of cacao and milk, hot chocolate pairs wonderfully with other foods and spices. Here are some recommended variations to try!
Add Cinnamon
The sweet, spicy aroma of cinnamon enhances the flavor of cacao beautifully. Cinnamon is also known to promote blood circulation, helping to warm your body from the inside.
Place the milk and a cinnamon stick in a pot and heat. Once the milk comes to a boil, turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and let it steep for five minutes.
Remove the lid and take out the cinnamon stick. Add the hot chocolate mix and stir until completely dissolved.
Strain through a tea strainer while pouring into the cup.
Place the reserved cinnamon stick into the cup and sprinkle an appropriate amount of cinnamon on top.
The comforting aromas of cacao and cinnamon can lift your spirits and help you relax. It’s a perfect winter treat.
Top Ice Cream with It
Top vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate and hot chocolate mix. The gentle bitterness of cacao spreads in your mouth, blending perfectly with the sweetness of the ice cream for a rich, indulgent melt-in-your-mouth experience.
For a unique twist, we also recommend sprinkling hot chocolate mix over baked sweet potatoes. The heat of the potato gently melts the chocolate, adding a touch of cacao bitterness to the natural sweetness of the potato for a more grown-up dessert experience.
With so many ways to enjoy it, hot chocolate is sure to help you get through the cold winter months! It also makes a lovely Valentine’s Day gift. Use the ideas introduced here as inspiration and discover your own favorite way to enjoy hot chocolate.
A specialty chocolate shop that is dedicated to every step of the process, starting with the careful selection of cacao beans. The Hot Chocolate Mix, available both in stores and through the online shop, lets you easily enjoy the shop’s signature flavor by simply dissolving it in milk. The secret behind its rich, true cacao flavor lies in its simple ingredients: only cacao beans and organic cane sugar are used. With a cacao content of 70%, this chocolate offers a refined, bittersweet taste made for adults.
*The information is based on the time of reporting or creation, and may differ from the current situation.
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