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How to take your hot chocolate to the next level this winter

Give your hot chocolate some pizzaz with these tips

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Hot chocolate with marshmallows on a tray.
Alisa Anton / Unsplash

Without a doubt, hot chocolate is the signature beverage of the winter season, especially when camping in the cold, but what you may not know is that it originated back in the day of the Mayans. They drank ground-up cocoa seeds in water, mixing it with cornmeal and chili peppers and pouring it from one cup to another to form a thick foam. Served cold, this drink might be a far cry from what we know today.

Serving it hot all started with Hans Sloane, a physician from the 1700s who first thought of mixing chocolate with milk instead of water to treat stomach and liver diseases. The drink was enjoyed so well that it became a popular after-dinner treat. Nowadays, hot chocolate is a winter staple that can be enjoyed anywhere and everywhere, including in a thermos on your next outdoor winter adventure. If you’re looking to take your hot chocolate to the next level this season, here’s everything you need to know, such as a from-scratch recipe to all of the delicious add-ins.

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Simple from-scratch hot chocolate recipe

Hot chocolate
Giancarlo Duarte / Unsplash

Ripping open a packet of Swiss Miss or Nestle hot chocolate is perfectly acceptable, especially if you’re dealing with impatient kids. However, making hot chocolate from scratch produces something far more delicious and much more satisfying to the palate.

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“A crucial reminder when making hot chocolate is that the type of cocoa, the brand, and the quality of the chocolate will yield different results. In other words, if you buy crappy cocoa, you’re going to get a crappy cup of hot chocolate,” explained Neomie Eliezer, a pastry chef and contestant on the Holiday Baking Championship on Food Network.

If you’re not sure how to make hot chocolate from scratch, the process could not be more straightforward. In fact, making hot chocolate is so easy that you’ll probably never go back to the packet process ever again. Just be sure all the necessary ingredients are buried somewhere in your cabinets because you’re not going to feel like trudging out in the cold or snow for unsweetened cocoa powder or vanilla extract.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups milk of choice
  • 1/4 cup of baking cocoa
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup of hot water
  • Pinch of salt

Method:

  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, baking cocoa, and salt.
  2. Add water and bring everything to a boil.
  3. Cook and stir for 2 minutes before stirring in the milk.
  4. Heat the hot chocolate to serving temperature, but don’t boil.
  5. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in vanilla extract.
  6. Whisk drink until frothy.

Common substitutions for hot chocolate ingredients

Not everyone is going to love this recipe, so if you or your loved ones have food sensitivities or preferences, feel free to switch things up. Switch milk for your favorite substitute of choice, such as oat milk or almond milk. Try swapping out the sugar for a quarter cup of honey. Don’t like vanilla? Try almond extract. The world is your oyster!

How to give your hot cocoa a little extra pizazz

Hot chocolate
Kobby Mendez / Unsplash

Everyone loves a classic dollop of whipped cream and a handful of marshmallows, but if you’re looking for a little extra holiday magic to add to your hot cocoa, try one of these ideas:

Turn it into a mocha

Stir in a shot of espresso or strong-brewed coffee for a bold, rich flavor. This is perfect for those chilly mornings when you need a little extra boost to start your day. The caffeine will wake you right up, but you’ll still have the soothing, sweet comfort of a classic hot chocolate.

Add cayenne pepper

If you’d like to take hot chocolate back to its roots, add a pinch of your favorite hot pepper. Cayenne pepper works wonders, and just a pinch will be enough for a kick. Spicy and sweet, this variation is perfect when paired with cinnamon.

Add hot honey

Since hot honey is infused with chili peppers, this is also a great option for adding a little extra kick to your hot chocolate. Just replace the sugar amount with a quarter cup of hot honey, and you’ll be golden.

Spice it up with cinnamon and more

Stir your hot cocoa with a cinnamon stick for some extra flavor, or add cinnamon powder to your cocoa powder during the “brewing” process. Feel free to experiment with other inviting spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, allspice, or cardamom.

Peppermint and other elegant garnishes

There are so many ways to have peppermint candies with your hot chocolate. Use candy canes as stirrers, crush them and sprinkle on top of the whipped cream, or even add in a drop of peppermint extract. High-grade chocolate curls are also an elegant garnish, especially for a date. Just shave the bar with a vegetable peeler. Alternatively, some edible glitter or sprinkles will bring smiles to the kids’ faces.

Whether you’re cozy by the fireplace or out on one of your wildest winter adventures, we hope you bring one of these delicious hot chocolate ideas with you. Cheers!

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Chris Illuminati
Chris Illuminati
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Illuminati is the author of five books and his writing has been featured on websites such as Rolling Stone, Men’s…
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