Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (Hot Cocoa) (2024)

FAQs

What makes hot chocolate taste better? ›

Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

Working in two (or more) batches, depending on the size of your food processor, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Store the dry mix in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.

Dairy Milk: Full cream dairy milk remains a classic choice for a rich, velvety hot chocolate. Plant-Based Milks: Soy, oat, almond, and coconut milks offer delightful plant-based alternatives, each adding a unique twist.

We'd be remiss not to include Swiss Miss in our taste test because when it comes to hot chocolate mix, it's by far the most well-loved. Swiss Miss makes a variety of flavors of powdered hot chocolate mix from seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice to mix made with unicorn-shaped marshmallows.

Drinking hot chocolate milk at night can potentially help improve sleep quality, thanks to the soothing psychological effects of consuming a warm drink and the tryptophan content in cocoa. Plus, milk contains calcium and vitamin D, nutrients important for overall health, including the regulation of sleep.

Mood-boosting effects: Drinking hot chocolate has been shown to increase levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain, which can improve mood and reduce stress. A healthier option: Compared to coffee, hot chocolate contains less fat and calories and is a good source of antioxidants.

Hot chocolate

If it's made with full-fat milk and topped with whipped cream, this will add more calories, and it will be high in saturated fat, which could affect your cholesterol levels. For a heart-healthy version, mix unsweetened cocoa powder with hot low-fat milk and low-calorie sweetener, if needed.

Can I use 2 year expired cocoa powder? ›

Cocoa powder is very unlikely to ever give you food poisoning. However, it might give you an upset stomach if it's gone rancid. To check, just give it a good sniff. If it doesn't smell unpleasant, feel damp or have signs of mould, it's usually fine to eat, even years after the expiry date.

The cornstarch version thickened quickly, making the hot chocolate very thick and creamy, and in the end we decided on a combination of cornstarch and confectioner's sugar, for the ideal texture and sweetness.

Substitute cornstarch with plain flour.

It has the same effect, you just need to make sure you cook it for extra couple of minutes, to make sure the flour is cooked (yes, flour can be cooked). I recommend adding the flour while cooking the hot chocolate, so you have a little more control of the thickness.

The most significant difference is in the ingredients. Mexican hot chocolate uses various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper.

Use Milk or Cream

Adding milk or cream to dark chocolate can significantly reduce its bitterness. The fats in milk or cream soften the intense flavours of the cocoa, creating a smoother and less bitter taste. This method is especially effective when making hot chocolate or chocolate sauces.

Cocoa Bean Quality: The quality of the cocoa beans used is paramount. Fine-flavored cocoa beans, such as Criollo and Trinitario varieties, are often considered superior due to their complex and nuanced flavors.