How to Make Hot Chocolate
Obtain good quality bar chocolate., Prepare the chocolate., Melt the chocolate., Add flavourings., Increase the heat to medium., Served in small cups or large mugs.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Obtain good quality bar chocolate.
Companies such as Scharffen Berger, Green & Black's, Perugina, Ghirardelli, and Guittard all make excellent chocolate bars.
For white chocolate lovers, Perugina is an excellent choice.
You can also find flavoured solid chocolates, which can be delicious.
If you start with chocolate at the sweetness you prefer, you do not need to add additional sugar.
You can also start with unsweetened chocolate, and add sugar to taste. -
Step 2: Prepare the chocolate.
Using a sharp knife (serrated knives work well for this task), chop the chocolate into chunks.
The finer the chop, the quicker the chocolate will melt.
The basic recipe calls for about 1-1/2 ounces (50g, or 3 tbsp) chocolate per 8-ounce cup.
Adjust this up or down depending on how rich you like your hot chocolate.
You can add more chocolate per cup, or less milk per cup—the choice is yours, depending on how much you love your hot chocolate! It is actually not necessary to chop the chocolate.
A small piece can be melted in the milk.
A nice tool to use to mix it with is a wooden spoon with loose wooden rings, as is often used in Mexico. , In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate with 1 cup (250ml) milk, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is fully melted.
Don't leave the stove unattended because milk and chocolate can burn easily.
An alternative to direct heat is to use a double boiler.
Place a small pot of water on high heat and put a metal bowl on top.
Add the chocolate and stir until fully melted.
Add cream at 1:1 to the chocolate and stir, effectively making a ganache.
The ganache will be added to your mug of hot milk when finished.
Add any additional flavorings to the ganache while stirring in the cream.
Using the double boil method should make it more difficult to burn your chocolatey goodness, but be careful with the bowl as it will get hot! , Salt, liqueurs, spices, and other flavourings can be added now.
To increase their flavour presence in the hot chocolate, they will need the opportunity to steep for a longer period of time.
However, if you want a subtler, less pronounced flavour, hold off for now. , Add the remainder of the milk, whisking continuously.
If you notice black flecks floating on the surface, don't worry: these flecks are bits of unmelted chocolate, and will disappear as your delicious beverage heats up.
Sometimes, whisking vigorously is necessary to dissolve unmelted chocolate completely.
If the mixture becomes too hot, or you feel that it might burn, remove pot from the heat and continue to stir, allowing the temperature to reduce.
Put the pot back on the heat once the mixture has cooled.
Do not allow the mixture to boil! , Garnished with whatever you wish, such as mint leaves, cinnamon sticks, or whipped cream, it's going to be delicious! You can also add a kick to your cocoa with a shot of whiskey, rum, brandy, or peppermint schnapps. -
Step 3: Melt the chocolate.
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Step 4: Add flavourings.
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Step 5: Increase the heat to medium.
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Step 6: Served in small cups or large mugs.
Detailed Guide
Companies such as Scharffen Berger, Green & Black's, Perugina, Ghirardelli, and Guittard all make excellent chocolate bars.
For white chocolate lovers, Perugina is an excellent choice.
You can also find flavoured solid chocolates, which can be delicious.
If you start with chocolate at the sweetness you prefer, you do not need to add additional sugar.
You can also start with unsweetened chocolate, and add sugar to taste.
Using a sharp knife (serrated knives work well for this task), chop the chocolate into chunks.
The finer the chop, the quicker the chocolate will melt.
The basic recipe calls for about 1-1/2 ounces (50g, or 3 tbsp) chocolate per 8-ounce cup.
Adjust this up or down depending on how rich you like your hot chocolate.
You can add more chocolate per cup, or less milk per cup—the choice is yours, depending on how much you love your hot chocolate! It is actually not necessary to chop the chocolate.
A small piece can be melted in the milk.
A nice tool to use to mix it with is a wooden spoon with loose wooden rings, as is often used in Mexico. , In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate with 1 cup (250ml) milk, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is fully melted.
Don't leave the stove unattended because milk and chocolate can burn easily.
An alternative to direct heat is to use a double boiler.
Place a small pot of water on high heat and put a metal bowl on top.
Add the chocolate and stir until fully melted.
Add cream at 1:1 to the chocolate and stir, effectively making a ganache.
The ganache will be added to your mug of hot milk when finished.
Add any additional flavorings to the ganache while stirring in the cream.
Using the double boil method should make it more difficult to burn your chocolatey goodness, but be careful with the bowl as it will get hot! , Salt, liqueurs, spices, and other flavourings can be added now.
To increase their flavour presence in the hot chocolate, they will need the opportunity to steep for a longer period of time.
However, if you want a subtler, less pronounced flavour, hold off for now. , Add the remainder of the milk, whisking continuously.
If you notice black flecks floating on the surface, don't worry: these flecks are bits of unmelted chocolate, and will disappear as your delicious beverage heats up.
Sometimes, whisking vigorously is necessary to dissolve unmelted chocolate completely.
If the mixture becomes too hot, or you feel that it might burn, remove pot from the heat and continue to stir, allowing the temperature to reduce.
Put the pot back on the heat once the mixture has cooled.
Do not allow the mixture to boil! , Garnished with whatever you wish, such as mint leaves, cinnamon sticks, or whipped cream, it's going to be delicious! You can also add a kick to your cocoa with a shot of whiskey, rum, brandy, or peppermint schnapps.
About the Author
Natalie Flores
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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