Hot chocolate – The drink you wouldn’t mind breaking your diet codes for. The melted chocolate drink with whole milk and sugar (thanks to the Mayans!) has been in great demand by people of all ages during any season. It was even considered medicinal for stomach ailments. If people still regarded it as a healing agent, you would want to have a stomach ache every now and then! A hot chocolate drink is very easy to make. Follow the steps below to treat yourself to a delicious, tempting, steaming cup of hot chocolate.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time required: 20 to 30 minutes
Estimated cost: $1 to $2 per serving
Resources required:
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp chocolate powder (grated from unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate)
- 1 tsp powdered sugar (or as needed)
Instructions:
1. Boil water and milk
- Mix the 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan.
- Take about 2 or 3 tablespoons of the milk into another cup and bring the rest to boil.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients
- Mix cocoa powder, chocolate powder and sugar with the milk that you kept aside.
- Once you see the milk in the pan beginning to bubble (just before boiling), pour the above mixture into the milk.
- Keep stirring, making sure that the chocolate has melted well.
- Bring to boil and turn off heat.
3. Serve
- Remove from heat.
- Seep through a sieve to strain out any residues left.
- Pour into a cup and serve hot. Garnish with cocoa powder and scraped chocolate above the drink.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How to make hot chocolate mix from pure cocoa?
Cocoa powder is different from chocolate powder. Basically, the former is unsweetened and the latter has additives and is primarily meant for hot chocolates. Cocoa powder can be used in a hot chocolate mix with added sugar. But keep in mind, before adding cocoa to your drink you will have to first make a paste of it and then add it into your chocolate drink. Take the required amount of cocoa powder (about 1 rounded tablespoon) in a glass, a tablespoon of sugar and pour a tablespoon of cold water (or milk). Cocoa powder does not mix well if the water is above a certain temperature and you will find solids floating on top of your drink if not mixed well. Once the cocoa is mixed well, fill the glass with hot milk and serve.
2. Can you make hot chocolate using coffee?
Hot chocolate combined with some nice espresso is a very good combination. It helps to bring out the flavor of each other. All you need to do is, after you melt your dark chocolate (or cocoa powder) add some espresso along with it. Add milk or just top it up with some thick fresh cream. Sprinkle a little bit of chocolate powder on top and voila! your ultimate hot chocolate is ready to relish.
3. What is Mayan Chocolate?
Mayans are known to be the inventors of chocolate. Adding a bit of cayenne pepper and cinnamon gives you an exotic Mayan hot chocolate.
Quick tips:
1. Try out your own variation by adding a dash of ground cinnamon or cayenne pepper or chili powder sprinkling over drink to get an added spicy flavor.
2. Adding whipped cream or fresh cream gives the hot chocolate more volume.
3. Pamper yourself by adding a marshmallow as an extra treat.
4. Improve the thickness by adding more cocoa powder and cream generously.
5. A drop of vanilla essence enhances the taste of hot chocolate.
Things to watch out for:
1. Adding too much cocoa powder might make the hot chocolate bitter.
2. Always taste before serving. Making the drink too sweet can give you a hangover and making it too bitter can spoil your drink.
3. Be careful while boiling the milk and pouring cocoa mix into milk.
4. Check the heat of your drink before drinking it as it may tend to burn your tongue.
