YIELDS:
3 Cups
PREP TIME:
0 hours 10 mins
COOK TIME:
0 hours 0 mins
TOTAL TIME:
0 hours 10 mins
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ingredients
1 1/2 Cups dry non-fat milk
1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar
1/8 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Cup Hershey’s chocolate powder
1/3 Cup Valhrona dark chocolate powder
1/2 Cup Milk Chocolate chips
1/8 Tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 Tbsp. Ground coffee
WHIPPED CREAM
1 Cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Confectioner’s sugar
1/2 Tsp. Pure Vanilla extract
OPTIONAL ADD INS:
1 Tablespoon of white chocolate chips
1 Oz. of your favorite liqueur (favorites include: Frangelico, Amaretto, Baileys, Kailua, Mozart Chocolate Cream, and Peppermint Schnapps)
Pepper sticks, candy canes or spoons, chocolate spoons, sprinkles
DIRECTIONS
1) Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in a large jar or covered container.
2) Make the whipped cream. Chill a metal bowl and the beaters from a hand mixer in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then, pour the heavy cream in the bowl and begin beating. Add the vanilla and confectioner’s sugar one tablespoon at a time. Beat until thick, soft peaks form.
TO PREPARE AND SERVE:
1) Make as much hot cocoa as you need. Mix 1/3 cup of the hot chocolate mix per one cup of hot milk. Stir to combine and melt chocolate chips into the mix.
2) If using liqueur or white chocolate chips, add those to your mug now. Pour the hot chocolate into the mug or mugs and top with marshmallows and whipped cream. If using, serve with a candy cane.
NOTES: This is one delicious combination of three chocolates. This hot chocolate recipe with cocoa powder gets an incredible boost from the use of two chocolate powders; Delicious Hershey’s cocoa powder and a dark chocolate powder from Valhrona. Then, the powders get an added bonus of milk chocolate chips which just melt into the whole mix for one yummy drink. Hot chocolate with chocolate chips seems like a natural to me but it is amazing how many people just use the powder. The addition of chocolate chips gives it a creamy texture that can’t be beat.
Topping with homemade whipped cream is always a plus and if you use some homemade marshmallows, it is even better. Check out my Candy Cane Marshmallows or my Toasted Coconut Marshmallows for perfect toppers. For all the chocaholics out there, I’ve started making chocolate whipped cream and topping the hot cocoa with that and dark chocolate shavings. To make whipped hot chocolate, simply add one heaping tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the whipped cream ingredients in this recipe. Omit, the vanilla extract. Whip it up and you will have chocolate on chocolate. Finish with shavings of dark chocolate. Just use a vegetable peeler on a bar of dark chocolate. I used Valhrona cocoa powder and their dark chocolate bar. Want to take this completely over the top? Add 1-2 ounces of chocolate liqueur. Right now I’m loving Mozart Chocolate Cream. It is a chocolate lover’s dream come true.
Another favorite around the holidays is to serve the hot chocolate with a candy cane spoon or a chocolate spoon. How great is that? The addition of flavored liqueurs is totally optional but definitely delicious and turns this simple cold winter favorite into an adult cocktail. Baileys and hot chocolate is a favorite around here, as is, Kahlua Hot Chocolate.
When it comes to milk, you can use any milk you like. Skim, 1%, whole milk or almond, soy, etc. all work just fine in this recipe. Use what you like. Just remember when you are heating the milk that you don’t want it to boil just heat it until right before it starts to boil. Add your chocolate mix and stir into the milk until everything is dissolved and smooth.
This is also the perfect item to make and gift. Whipping up a big batch of this homemade hot cocoa recipe bulk style, gives you a way to make a ton of gifts. I just bag up the mix in cute cellophane bags with ribbons and a tag. Then, I’ll add some of my homemade marshmallows in a separate bag and pop the mix and marshmallows into a mug. You have a quick gift that is delicious and easy to pull together. You can easily make up a dozen of these for friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Check out my post on Wrapping Candy, Nuts & Baked Goods for more inspiration.
If you are looking for more hot adult beverage ideas, be sure to check out my recipes for:
Bourbon, Maple & Pumpkin Coffee