I was about 18 when it occurred to me that hot chocolate didn’t necessarily have to come from a packet. What a revelation, if not a rather late one. I started my revolution with recipes, but eventually realized good hot chocolate needs nothing more than good chocolate and some milk. Perhaps some vanilla and a splash of coffee, or a dollop of whipped cream, but those things are really quite optional.
All you’ll need is a mug and a handful of chocolate chips. The handful size will depend on your hands, I suppose, but also on the size of the mug. Scale accordingly, I’m sure you can figure it out. Use tasty chocolate; it’s what you’ll be tasting, so choose wisely! You can use white chocolate if you like, but I’d recommend semi or bittersweet. Don’t use milk. Hot chocolate making is also a bit of a learning experience—some people like their hot chocolate like fondue, others prefer chocolate-scented milk. You’ll figure it out over time and get the ratio perfect for you.
As far as the milk goes, well, I like whole milk for almost everything, but I find it’s far too rich in hot chocolate, so I’ll usually go with 1% here.
Homemade Hot Chocolate
1 mug of milk, with some room left at the top, warmed in the microwave
1 handful of tasty chocolate chips or shavings, scaled to the size of the mugOptional add-ins:
Vanilla extract
Coffee
Peppermint extract
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Anything else you can think of!Put the chocolate in a small saucepan and slowly melt over low heat. Keep an eye on the chocolate, stirring frequently. Don’t burn it!
Add a bit of milk from the mug and whisk it in. It’ll take a while for everything to incorporate, but it will. I promise. Slowly whisk in the rest of the milk and heat through. Add in any add-ons. Pour back into your mug and serve. Yum!
What’s your favourite kind of hot chocolate? Remember, every post you comment on is an entry in the monthly draw!
