Cravings: Hot Chocolate From Scratch Chocolate Off!

Husband LOVES hot chocolate. He had the most amazing Hot Chocolate at the Disneyland so I decided that I obviously needed to perfect a recipe for him.

Here he is sipping some.

1) Belgium Hot Chocolate <This was the winner in Round 2>

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Milk

1 cup Half & Half

4 oz. real Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate 

2 oz. good quality Milk chocolate

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method:

Melt chocolate slowly in milk. Add Half & Half. Heat, but do not bring to a boil. Whisk until frothy. Europeans don't have as sweet as tooth as Americans. If needed, add a Tbsp of sugar.

2) Italian Hot Chocolate <This was the runner up in Round 1>

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups Whole Milk (or less fat milk will work as well)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 Tbsp sugar (adjust to your taste)

1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. sea salt

Method:

Whisk all ingredients in pot over low heat until blended. Continue to whisk occasionally until mixture comes to a boil, let simmer for a minute until thick. Mixture will create a 'skin', so either serve right away or place plastic wrap over mixture and store in refrigerator until ready to reheat and serve.

3) Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Milk (or less fat milk will work as well)

1 cup half & half

6 Tbsp brown sugar

4 1/2 oz. bittersweet good quality chocolate (recommended: American made Scharffen Berger)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (Mexican of course!)

1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg

Cayenne Pepper (to taste...start with a dash and go from there. I like a pinch or two)

Cinnamon Sticks (if you don't use these, then add 1/8 tsp of ground Cinnamon, but don't you both as it will be too cinnamon-ee.

Method:

Melt chocolate slowly in milk until melted, whisking occasionally. Heat, but don't boil. Add rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

4) Christina’s Italian-Style Hot Chocolate

(makes 2 servings)

12 ounces 2% or whole milk (plus 2 or 3 tbsps)

4 tbsp very good quality unsweetened cocoa

3 tsp corn starch

2 oz very good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate

3 tsp sugar (more or less, to taste)

To Prepare:

Place cocoa powder and corn starch in small mixing bowl.

Add 2 or 3 tablespoons milk and mix the cocoa and corn starch into a smooth and slightly runny paste (add more milk or water if needed.)

Next, heat milk in small saucepan over medium low heat, and add the chocolate.

Whisk to mix in chocolate once it begins to melt.

When the milk is starting to get hot, pour in the cocoa mixture, while whisking constantly.

Now its time to sweeten the cocoa-add the desired amount of sugar.

Go ahead and taste it to see if it needs more sugar…

Let the hot chocolate come to a slight simmer, at this point stirring with a wooden spoon, then remove from heat. The beverage should be thicker than regular hot cocoa, but not super thick and heavy (pudding-like.)

Pour into your desired cup or mug…mmm…doesn’t that look decadent?

To add the royal (American)l touch, a dollop of freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings!

5) Very Decadent Hot Chocolate <This was the winner in Round 1>
Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp corn starch
about 2 Tbsp sugar
generous pinch sea salt
splash vanilla extract

Directions:
In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the dark chocolate with a splash of milk over medium-low heat. Stir. Whisk corn starch with rest of milk (vigorously or else you’ll end up with clumps of corn starch in your drink) and slowly add it to the melted chocolate. Add sugar to taste. Keep stirring until it reaches a low simmer and becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla.

Divide between two cups.

6) Italian Hot Chocolate

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 oz. dark chocolate, shaved

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

whipped cream, optional

Directions

Place shaved chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and add 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract.

Use a wooden spoon to stir chocolate as it begins to melt.

Slowly add remaining milk and continuing stirring until completely smooth.

Add in sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and sea salt, and stir until everything is dissolved and combined.

Once mixture boils, let it cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until thickened enough that it coats the back of your spoon.

Pour into 2 mugs  (top with whipped cream if desired) and serve immediately.

7) Melted Hot Cocoa <This was the runner up in Round 2>
INGREDIENTS:

Melted Hot Cocoa

8 Squares (4 ounces) Dark 100% Cocoa Baker's Chocolate
2 Squares (1 ounce) Semi-Sweet Baker's Chocolate
2-4 teaspoons honey, depending on how sweet or bitter you like your chocolate

3/4 Cup Whole Milk, at room temperature 

To make the hot cocoa, melt down the chocolate pieces in the top of a double boiler, stirring constantly. Add the honey and milk and continue stirring until it's one fluid mixture and becomes very warm. Evenly distribute the cocoa between two serving glasses and top with the whipped cream and a pinch of sea salt for garnish. Serve immediately. 

I did all of these together as they all had cornstarch in them.

I did a blind tasting for Husband in sets of 4. He ranked them with Texture, Consistency, Flavor, and Richness to help figure out which he liked best.

I grouped Numbers 2, 4, 5, and 6 together as they all call for Cornstarch and 1, 3, and 7 together. I then did a tasting of 4 with his top two of each group to figure out which one he liked best which were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 .

AND THE WINNER IS:

***DRUM ROLL PLEASE.............. ***





Number 1!

1) Belgium Hot Chocolate <This was the winner in Round 2>

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Milk

1 cup Half & Half

4 oz. real Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate 

2 oz. good quality Milk chocolate

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method:

Melt chocolate slowly in milk. Add Half & Half. Heat, but do not bring to a boil. Whisk until frothy. Europeans don't have as sweet as tooth as Americans. If needed, add a Tbsp of sugar.