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Homemade Hot Chocolate
The Dough Mamma • Nov 06, 2016
As you can tell from the picture above, this post was originally intended for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, clearly we are a day late and a dollar short, but hey it’s chocolate and can be enjoyed any time of year.
Initially cultivated in Mesoamerica, chocolate dates back thousands of years ago and was first consumed by the Olmec, Aztecs and Mayans. Reserved for special occasions, or the very elite (such as healers and warriors), chocolate was consumed in liquid form and was anything but sweet. The ancient chocolate drink was bitter, robust and sometimes spicy, and was also thought to have divine properties. It wasn’t until chocolate made its way into European hands, that it was then sweetened with honey, making it more emblematic of the drink we have today.
Warm milk, silky chocolate, marshmallows and whipped cream, oh my. But wait, it gets even better, instead of the processed overly sweet premixed stuff from a tin can, we bring you this authentic homemade version. “Winter is coming!” so huddle up, get cozy and warm yourself by the fire with a cup of velvety smooth, rich and indulgent homemade hot chocolate, yum.
Enjoy!
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Author: Doughmamma
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
The best chocolate brands to use for this recipe include: Valrhona, Callebaut, Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger. Though some chefs might disagree, I also think Trader Joe's 1 pound chocolate bars as well as their organic chocolate selection are quite divine. This hot chocolate is very rich, if you find it's a little too chocolatey for your taste, dilute with milk, ½ cup at a time until your desired preference. If you are going to top with whipped cream and/or marshmallows, you may consider eliminating the 1 Tbsp of sugar if you prefer your hot chocolate less sweet. I made this recipe the night before, only heating everything until fully blended, allowed it too cool, then refrigerated it overnight. It was easy to heat up the next day and I didn't have a kitchen to clean afterwards, win-win.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of milk (preferably whole or 2%)
- 2 cups of half-and-half
- 2 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 oz of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 oz of dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp of Grand Marnier
- 1 tsp of instant espresso powder
- *optional, 2 cinnamon sticks
- *optional, whipped cream and marshmallows
Instructions
- In a double broiler, heat your milk and half-and-half over medium heat, while stirring frequently with a whisk.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat your chocolates at 30 second intervals, stirring in between until smooth and completely melted. Set aside for about 7 minutes to cool slightly.
- Add your cocoa powder, Grand Marnier and espresso powder to your milk mixture and stir.
- Add your melted chocolate to your milk mixture. Stir with your whisk until completely blended and there are no chunks of chocolate.
- Once you are at your desired temperature, about 117 F, remove from stove and carefully pour into your serving cups.
- Top with whipped cream and/or marshmallows, serve while hot.
Delicious and refreshing
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