Chocolate is the favorite dessert in the world, some people have no idea Have a good day without a piece of treat, and someone likes to savor hot chocolate.
In general, for a long time chocolate was available in the form of a drink, and only in 1846 the Englishman Joseph Fry cast the dessert in a bar, and quite a long time ago hot chocolate was considered the “drink of the gods” and only priests and the highest nobility could enjoy it.
Chocolate and chocolate drinks - what to choose?
Nowadays you can make hot chocolate at home, but we're not talking about those chocolate drinks, which are brewed from a bag. Real hot chocolate has nothing to do with such drinks except its name and chocolate taste; in fact, the original drink is thick, aromatic and fatty; there are many recipes for its preparation; we will tell you about two basic ones.
How to make hot chocolate at home?
Now you can enjoy hot chocolate in any coffee shop; they prepare the drink in special machines, but you can prepare the treat yourself at home and do not require any special equipment. To make hot chocolate at home, you can use either cocoa powder or ready-made dessert bars.
To prepare the drink in the first way, you will need:
cocoa powder - 3 teaspoons;
sugar - 5 teaspoons;
milk - 300 ml;
vanilla sugar - 1 teaspoon.
Milk should be heated, vanilla and regular sugar should be dissolved in it, cocoa milk should be poured in, and stirred quickly. In this drink, you can replace part of the milk with water or cream if you want to reduce or increase the fat content and thickness of the dessert. You can also replace vanilla sugar with vanillin, but then, of course, you need to use a very small amount.
To make hot chocolate from ready-made bars, you need:
dark chocolate - 100 grams;
milk - 400 ml;
The chocolate needs to be broken into pieces, placed in a deep bowl and heated in a water bath, as soon as the whole mass has melted and becomes homogeneous, pour milk into the bowl, stirring with a whisk.
The good thing about basic recipes like this is that they can be modify depending on preference:
Various spices are often added to the finished drink; cayenne or chili pepper has already become a classic for chocolate; it is used very little, on the tip of a knife. Pepper adds a pleasant tartness and spiciness to the dessert. Cinnamon is an indispensable spice in confectionery, and hot chocolate is no exception - it’s especially pleasant to feel the warming aroma of cinnamon on cold winter evenings.
Thickness and fat content can also be adjusted by replacing milk with water, cream and even sour cream. To make the drink more thick and fluffy, add whipped cream - this dessert can already be eaten with a spoon;
Coffee and chocolate are an old and beloved combination by many. You can replace part of the milk with fresh strong coffee; such hot chocolate, due to its high caffeine content, will become a real energy boost;
Often a few tablespoons of alcohol are added to chocolate; cognac, rum, cream and fruit liqueurs go well with dessert;
Became popular in Lately unusual additions such as fruit purees and juices, for example, pureed strawberries and bananas, will make hot chocolate a light and very summer dessert.
Serving hot chocolate prepared at home can be as beautiful as in coffee shops. The finished drink is poured into classic cups with thick walls so that the dessert remains hot for as long as possible; be sure to add a teaspoon to the serving so that you can finish the dessert to the last drop. In a good manner It is considered to serve a glass of water along with hot chocolate so that you can wash down the sweetness. You can decorate the dessert with marshmallow pieces, grated chocolate or milk foam.
As we can see, making hot chocolate at home is very simple, all you have to do is choose a recipe to your taste, apply a little imagination to make the drink special - and the drink of the gods is ready, which we can enjoy too.
Bon appetit!
On this page (contents):
Throughout history, man has been looking for recipes for drinks that would sharpen passion and enhance attraction.
The secret weapon of Madame Pompadour, the favorite of the French king, was a cup of hot chocolate with aromatic spices, which she drank before each meeting with the king, and Casanova’s diet consisted almost entirely of aphrodisiacs: hot chocolate, truffles, oysters, nuts, caviar...
Today, hot chocolate can be found on the menu of almost every cafe. But it can be prepared either in your home kitchen or from ready-made mixtures purchased in the store. But you will get a more delicious drink if you prepare it entirely yourself using the recipes we have selected.
What is hot chocolate
In cafes or at home, hot chocolate is most often prepared with milk from chocolate chips or chocolate bars with the addition of cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. The drink is whipped until foamy.
What is the difference between hot chocolate and cocoa
“Real” hot chocolate is dark, gooey and very thick. It is prepared by melting solid chocolate and boiling it with cream or milk. This is a very rich and nutritious drink. Among dessert drinks, its calorie content is the highest (1 glass - 250 kcal).
Cocoa is a low-fat drink (1 glass - 30 kcal), it is boiled in milk or water from cocoa bean meal remaining after pressing the oil. It has a very liquid consistency and can be considered a dietary dessert drink.
Basic moments
Chocolate: which one to choose
Of course, the best. Read the label. Chocolate should not contain flavorings or preservatives. Both bitter and milky are suitable with equal success. The more cocoa it contains, the more bitter the drink will be. It is better not to use porous chocolate.
How to melt chocolate
It is best to melt chocolate in a water bath. For this you will need 2 pans, the smaller one should fit in the larger one. IN large saucepan Pour in water, bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low. We put a small saucepan in it with the required amount of chocolate, and wait until it melts.
Tip: Don't let water get into the chocolate, it will curdle.
How to make hot chocolate thicker
To add thickness, sour cream, yolks or starch are added to hot chocolate. Thickeners are poured in a thin stream with constant stirring. The chocolate should not be overheated. The yolk, for example, may become boiled.
What other ingredients should/can be added?
You can give homemade hot chocolate a special taste and properties using almost any spices, water, cream, milk, as well as cognac, rum or liqueur.
If you add water, the taste of chocolate will be most noticeable, and the calorie content will be the least. Cream softens the drink, making the taste velvety. Any type of pepper, cardamom, ginger and vanilla are perfect as spices.
5 recipes you can prepare at home
To be able to prepare a cup of hot chocolate does not take much time and does not require high culinary skills.
Recipe "Three chocolates"
Ingredients for 3 servings:
- cream - 450 ml;
- raspberries - 21 pcs.;
- dark chocolate - 50 g;
- milk chocolate - 50 g;
- white chocolate - 50 g;
- gelatin - 3 g.
Cooking method:
- Melt 60% dark chocolate in a water bath.
- Bring 50 ml of cream to a boil and dissolve 1 g of soaked gelatin in it.
- Combine hot cream with chocolate three times, mix well and let the mixture cool slightly.
- Whip 100 ml of cream with a whisk and also combine with chocolate.
- Do the same with other types of chocolate.
- Pour some of the dark chocolate into three glasses, put raspberries on top and alternately pour milk and white chocolate.
French hot chocolate
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- water - 1 l;
- dark chocolate - 100 g;
- sugar to taste.
Cooking method:
- Break the chocolate into pieces, put it in a saucepan, pour 1 tbsp. warm water. Wait 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften.
- Heat, stirring over low heat until the chocolate is completely dissolved.
- Pour in 3 tbsp. water and stirring constantly over medium heat, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and leave for 10 minutes.
- Beat with a whisk, add sugar if desired, and serve hot.
Viennese hot chocolate
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- dark chocolate - 1 bar;
- yolk 3 pcs.;
- water - 4 glasses;
- sour cream - 4 tbsp. spoons;
- sugar to taste.
Cooking method:
- Break a chocolate bar into pieces, put them in a saucepan, pour 1 tbsp. warm water. Wait 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften.
- Stirring until the chocolate is completely dissolved over low heat.
- Add 3 cups of water and slowly stir in the yolks.
- Stir over heat until thickened, without bringing to a boil.
- Pour the prepared hot chocolate into cups, add sugar to taste and 1 spoon of sour cream.
Chocolate Banana Hot Chocolate
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- chocolate - 100 g;
- milk - 1 l;
- bananas - 2 pcs.;
- cinnamon - 1 pinch.
How to cook:
- Break the chocolate, peel the bananas and cut it into pieces.
- Pour milk into a saucepan, add chocolate and bananas.
- All the time, stirring, heat over low heat. Do not bring to a boil.
- Turn off the heat and beat until foamy with a whisk or blender.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon after pouring into cups.
Simple recipe with chili pepper
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- chocolate - 2 bars;
- heavy cream - 0.5 cups;
- orange zest;
- chili pepper (powder) to taste.
How to cook:
- Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a water bath along with the cream.
- Add chili pepper and zest to taste, stir.
- Serve in small cups.
What and with what to drink hot chocolate
Hot chocolate goes well with buns and other baked goods, as well as ice cream, marshmallows, fruits and marshmallows. Liquid hot chocolate perfectly complements the taste of cognac. Serve a glass of water along with the chocolate; it will help the drink develop its flavor.
With the onset of cold weather, hot chocolate becomes no less popular than mulled wine by the fire. On those days when you can’t go out into nature due to pouring rain, it’s great to sit in a cozy chair, cover yourself with a blanket and read your favorite book while sipping chocolate. Today I will tell you about my favorite recipe, in which the drink is not as cloyingly fatty as with cream, but also not completely liquid, thanks to the corn starch in the composition. Although the recipe can be boiled down to two words: “melt and stir.”
So, to make hot chocolate we will need:
- Milk of any fat content - 400 ml
- Chocolate (it’s better to take dark chocolate, with high content cocoa) - 100 g
- Starch - 1 tbsp. l. (without slide)
It is important to choose the right chocolate for the drink. I tried to make it with both dark and milk, and noticed this peculiarity: the lower the cocoa content in the chocolate, the more flakes and sediments formed in the milk, which did not want to completely dissolve. Therefore, I recommend using dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.
Using a knife, finely chop the chocolate into pieces.
Place the milk on the fire and heat until hot (almost boiling, but not boiling). Use a saucepan or saucepan with a thick bottom to prevent the milk from burning. Heat over medium heat, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t run away.
Pour a small amount of milk (half a glass) into a small bowl and add corn starch. Starch directly determines the thickness of the finished drink. In my opinion, the perfect hot chocolate is made by adding a level tablespoon.
Add the chopped chocolate to a saucepan with hot milk and stir without removing from the heat. The smaller the chocolate pieces, the faster it will dissolve in the milk.
Did you know that chocolate used to exist only in liquid form, but in 1846 Joseph Fry cast the world's first chocolate bar, which ended the popularity of the hot drink?
It is convenient to stir chocolate into milk using a spatula with a silicone tip. 
When the chocolate has dissolved, add the milk and cornstarch. Stir again until the mixture thickens a little. Pour thick hot chocolate into mugs. You can top the drink with marshmallows, cinnamon, crushed nuts or whipped cream. Although, to be honest, this drink is very good even without additives!
Bon appetit!
Recipe options:
The chocolate base can be plain water, not milk or cream. In this case, the drink turns out to be less calorie, but bland. Therefore, I recommend seasoning it generously with spices. There is another option - mix milk and water in equal proportions - it turns out tastier.
To thicken the drink, in addition to starch, you can use egg yolk or sour cream. But it should be remembered that they give the drink not only a different consistency, but also make it more satisfying.
If you decide to use egg yolk, be careful not to let the mixture boil, otherwise the yolk will curdle and all your efforts will be in vain. Pour the yolk into the warm chocolate while stirring constantly.
Spices and alcohol give chocolate its unique taste. Liqueur, rum, cognac, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, ginger, fruit, chili pepper, and ice cream go well together.
Hot chocolate with chilli
It turns out that among the ancient Mayan and Aztec tribes, hot chocolate was not just a drink, but a medicine. They prepared it like this: roasted and then crushed cocoa beans, then mixed with cold water, adding hot peppers Chile. Of course, the drink was not for everyone; it was reserved for a select few.
But then the Europeans changed the recipe, replacing pepper with sugar))), and the drink itself began to be heated so that the chocolate dissolves better.
If you decide to make a spicy drink with pepper, you will need:
- Dark chocolate - 100 g
- Cream (22% and above) - 60 ml
- Zest of half an orange
- Ground chili pepper - to taste
- Sugar to taste.
How to make hot chocolate with chili pepper
Heat the cream until hot, add the chopped chocolate, stir until dissolved. Add orange zest, ground pepper(-2 pinches is enough, be careful). The drink is ready!
What kind of chocolate do you like? In liquid form or in the form of a tile?
How do you usually prepare it, what additives do you prefer? I'd be very interested to hear about your options. Write about it in the comments!
The basis of the recipe is chocolate, so the final taste of the drink depends on its choice. Everything is simple here: choose high-quality tiles with a cocoa content of at least 70%. Some sources recommend brewing the drink only from such chocolate and serving it in small portions, like espresso, but we understand that not everyone is able to appreciate the pronounced bitterness of dark chocolate. To sweeten the drink, you can simply add a little sugar, but it is better to mix the base dark chocolate with milk: let the first make up 70% of the drink, and the second, respectively, the remaining 30%. If you are making chocolate for children, you will probably have to change the proportions to equal to make the chocolate sweeter.
Often, part of the chocolate is replaced with cocoa powder in order to reduce the fat content of the finished drink, but if the question of the fat content in hot chocolate is not important to you, stick to classic recipe, which we present below.
Milk or cream
Here, as with chocolate, it is better to mix both. The main thing, again, is to determine the correct proportion. Cream is added to chocolate to make the texture of the drink more creamy and silky, but adding it to large quantities- means turning hot chocolate from a drink into a dessert, and an indecently fatty dessert. This is why the heavy cream in the recipe takes up less than a quarter of the total milk volume.
Supplements
When talking about hot chocolate, we must not forget about a variety of additives, the most popular of which are “sweet” spices - cinnamon and vanilla. You can add spices to ready-made chocolate, or you can warm milk with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean before adding chocolate. Slightly less popular are nutmeg, which is sprinkled on top of the chocolate, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Be sure to add a small pinch of salt to the finished chocolate to highlight the sweetness of the drink.
A variety of liqueurs and strong alcohol are also welcome in the recipe in small quantities.
We recommend leaving the marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate chips and powdered sugar for decoration.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 450 ml milk;
- 70 g dark chocolate (70%);
- 30 g milk chocolate;
- 75 ml cream (33%);
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- marshmallow;
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation
First, heat 150 ml of milk, remove it from the heat and prepare the chocolate ganache by adding chocolate pieces to the milk and melting them, stirring.
Pour the remaining milk and cream into the saucepan, then add cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
Heat the drink, but under no circumstances boil it. Pour chocolate into mugs and place marshmallows on top.
Hot chocolate is not just a drink, it is a boost of energy for the whole day. And you don’t have to run to the nearest cafe to get it, because you can quickly make the delicacy at home.
The easiest hot chocolate
For a truly rich tasting drink, use the best dark chocolate. Its quality directly affects the result obtained.
Required Products:
- three glasses of milk;
- one and a half tsp. corn starch;
- sugar to taste;
- 180 grams of good dark chocolate.
Cooking process:
- Divide the chocolate into pieces so that they melt faster and place in a saucepan.
- Add half the specified amount of milk there and turn on the stove to medium heat.
- Constantly stirring the ingredients in the pan, bring the chocolate to a liquid state.
- Pour two tablespoons of milk into the starch, wait for it to dissolve, and combine the resulting mass with the remaining milk.
- This mixture must be poured into the melted chocolate, while whisking the drink with a whisk or mixer.
- At this stage, add the desired amount of sugar, mix and cook for about five minutes over low heat until thick.
With added banana
You can make hot chocolate with the addition of banana - this is a good, aromatic combination.
Required Products:
- one banana;
- half a liter of milk;
- about 50 grams of milk chocolate.
- Cooking process:
- Peel the banana, cut into pieces, and divide the chocolate into cubes.
- Pour milk into a saucepan, mix with chocolate and banana.
- Heat the mixture over low heat until the chocolate is completely dissolved, then beat the resulting mass with a blender until smooth.
- You can add a little sugar before serving to taste.
Recipe with marshmallows
Required Products:
- 100 grams of chocolate;
- marshmallow - to your taste;
- 140 milliliters of cream;
- 0.6 liters of milk.
Cooking process:
- Pour the indicated amount of milk and cream into the pan. Stir and heat over low heat.
- Then add the chocolate, which must first be divided into small pieces.
- Wait for the contents of the pan to boil, turn the heat to low and stir a little until a homogeneous mixture comes out.
- Pour it into cups and place marshmallows on top.
Hot chocolate with cocoa
If you don’t have chocolate on hand, no problem, the drink can be made with cocoa. After all, cocoa is the same as chocolate, only not sweet.
Required Products:
- two spoons of cocoa;
- tsp corn starch;
- sugar to your taste;
- 0.3 liters of cream.
Cooking process:
- Mix cocoa and starch in a saucepan, pour them with a spoon of cold water.
- Heat the indicated amount of cream well, but do not bring it to a boil. Gently pour them into the cocoa mass, stirring until smooth.
- Heat the ingredients over low heat and then remove from the stove. Let them sit for five minutes and serve with homemade cookies.
How to make a cinnamon drink
Hot chocolate with cinnamon is a real winter drink. Prepare it according to this recipe and enjoy it on a stormy day.
Required Products:
- 0.7 liters of milk;
- two cinnamon sticks;
- 200 grams of good dark chocolate;
- 0.3 liters of heavy cream.
Cooking process:
- Combine the milk and cream, put it on the stove, heat it well, but do not let the mixture boil.
- Grind the cinnamon sticks in a mortar or coffee grinder. If desired, you can use the already ground version.
- Remove the cream and milk from the stove, add cinnamon to them and leave for five minutes.
- We separate the chocolate into slices, place it in the hot mixture and stir with a whisk until it is completely dissolved. After this, pour the drink into cups and serve.
Original version with chili pepper
This combination will make the drink more aromatic and certainly non-trivial.
Required Products:
- three dry chili peppers;
- half a liter of milk;
- three large spoons of cocoa;
- three spoons of sugar.
Cooking process:
- Mix cocoa and sugar, add a little milk, but not all.
- Place the mixture on the stove, turning on medium heat.
- Without ceasing to stir, add chili pepper to the ingredients and cook the mixture further over low heat.
- Keep on the stove until the sugar is completely dissolved, then pour in the remaining milk and as soon as the drink boils, immediately remove it.
- Be sure to pass the drink through a sieve so that there is nothing unnecessary in it, including pieces of pepper. After this, pour the chocolate into cups and serve.
With coconut milk
Required Products:
- 70 milliliters coconut milk;
- 100 grams of dark chocolate;
- three spoons of sugar;
- 0.35 liters of almond or regular milk.
Cooking process:
- We separate the chocolate into pieces and bring it to a liquid state. It's best to do this in a steam bath, but if you don't want to mess around, then just do it on the stove or in the microwave.
- Mix both types of milk separately and place on the stove. We wait for the mixture to boil and quickly combine it with melted chocolate before it hardens.
- Add the specified amount of sugar (or to your taste), mix and serve the drink.
Thick hot chocolate
To get a thick chocolate shake consistency, use regular starch. It is best to take corn, then its taste will not be felt in the drink.
By the way, it can be added to any recipe. Please note that the drink without starch will be quite liquid.
Required Products:
- liter of milk;
- three large spoons of starch;
- 200 grams of chocolate.
Cooking process:
- Take a glass of milk and pour starch into it. Stir until a homogeneous mixture without lumps is obtained.
- Pour the remaining milk into the pan and set to heat over low heat. Add chocolate, previously divided into slices.
- We continue to heat the mixture until the chocolate pieces are completely dissolved, after which we add the diluted starch here. Mix.
- Continue cooking until the drink begins to thicken. As soon as the process starts, immediately remove the chocolate from the heat, pour into cups and serve.
Hot chocolate is a fragrant drink that not only gives gastronomic pleasure, but creates a special atmosphere and lifts your spirits. Do not deny yourself the pleasure and prepare this delicious delicacy at least once.