Description
Indulgent dark chocolate hot chocolate offers a luxurious escape from winter’s chill, blending rich cocoa depths with velvety smoothness. Silky warmth wraps around your senses, promising comfort in each exquisite sip.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk (or any milk of choice)
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (optional, for extra creaminess)
- 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsps sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional toppings: whipped cream, marshmallows, shaved chocolate, or a dash of cinnamon
Instructions
- Warm Dairy Base: Gently heat milk and cream in a small saucepan over medium temperature, ensuring the liquid remains just below boiling point to preserve its delicate texture.
- Chocolate Fusion: Incorporate chopped dark chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into the warm dairy mixture, whisking continuously until the ingredients meld into a silky, uniform consistency.
- Aromatic Finish: Remove the saucepan from heat and introduce vanilla extract, stirring to infuse the rich, fragrant notes throughout the hot chocolate.
- Flavor Refinement: Sample the beverage and fine-tune the sweetness to personal preference, balancing the depth of dark chocolate with desired sugar levels.
- Presentation: Transfer the luxurious hot chocolate into serving mugs, crowning each with an array of preferred garnishes to elevate the sensory experience.
Notes
- Select premium dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content for rich, intense flavor and smooth texture.
- Stir milk mixture continuously and keep heat low to medium to avoid burning or creating a skin on the milk surface.
- Add sugar gradually and taste as you go, since dark chocolate can vary in natural bitterness and intensity.
- Substitute dairy milk with almond, oat, or coconut milk for dietary preferences while maintaining creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Drinks, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg