Hot Chocolate Recipes
There is a difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate
Mayan Hot Chocolate
Have you seen the movie, Chocolat? This is like the hot chocolate that was served in the movie.
2 cups boiling water
1 chile pepper, cut in half, seeds removed (with gloves)
5 cups light cream or whole or nonfat milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or
3 tablets Mexican Chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey, or to taste
l tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine
Whipped cream
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add chile pepper to boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove chile pepper; strain water and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until bubbles appear around the edge. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves. Turn off heat; remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chile-infused water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure the flavor isn’t too strong. If chocolate is too thick, thin with a little more milk.
Serve in small cups and offer ground almonds or hazelnuts and whipped cream.
Angelina’s Hot Chocolate
The Angelina Cafe in Paris, open since 1903, serves a thick hot chocolate version in demitasse cups with a tiny dollop of mascarpone and whipped cream. They are famous for making hot chocolate from melted chocolate bars. It is incredibly easy to prepare by mixing chocolate shavings with hot water. You can serve it in small cups or in 17th-century style chocolate pots and demitasse cups such as those sold in gourmet shops.
6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup water, room temperature
3 tablespoons hot water
3 cups hot milk, divided
Sugar to taste
Whipped cream, if desired
In a double boiler over low heat, combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water until melted, stirring occasionally; stir until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler pan from. Whisk in 3 tablespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among individual 4 mugs. Either stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug or serve milk in a separate pitcher. Pass sugar and whipped cream in separate bowls; add to taste.
Makes 4 servings.
Italian Hot Chocolate – Cioccolato Caldo
Italy is famous for their Cioccolato Caldo, especially during the fall and winter months. This hot chocolate is sometimes served so thick (like a pudding), that you need a spoon to actually eat it! this recipe doesn’t make it that thick. The luxurious richness comes from using top-quality chocolate.
5 tablespoons Dutch-process Cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao solids), finely chopped
2 cups milk
In a small saucepan over low heat, add the cocoa powder, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the milk, Heat until the sugar melts and no lumps remain, stirring well. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly; add the remaining milk. Turn off the heat, add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Pour into serving cups.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
In central and southern Mexico, people commonly drink chocolate twice a day year-round.Having a layer of foam on hot chocolate is as important today in Mexico as it was in ancient times. Mexicans believe the spirit of the drink is in the foam. The chocolate is whipped to a froth with a carved wooden utensil called a Molinillo and served in mugs.
The Molinillo [moh-lee-NEE-oh] is the Mexican chocolate “whisk” or “stirrer.” It is made of “turned” wood and it is used to froth warm drinks such as hot chocolate, Atole, and Champurrado.
Mexican Hot Chocolate I
6 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 ounces unsweetened Mexican Chocolate,coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Stick cinnamon (for optional garnish)
In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and salt. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is very hot. (Do not let the milk come to a boil.)
Beat 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir in one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more over low heat, still stirring.
Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat with aMolinillo or a rotary beater until it is very frothy. Pour into mugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks, and serve. Makes about 6 (8-ounce) servings.
Mexican Hot Chocolate II
4 (1-ounce) squares ofMexican Chocolate
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup hot water
Small pinch of salt
1 tsp instant coffee
2 cups of milk
1 egg (optional)
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 dried red chile pepper
Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, add the Mexican chocolate, honey, hot water, salt, coffee, and chile pepper. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to boil; reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring constantly, for approximately an additional 1 minute. Carefully stir in the milk and let sit over low heat until the chocolate is too warm to touch (you can see the steam rising from it).
In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg until it is frothy, you can use an electric mixer, a Molinillo, or a fork for this. You just need to make it as frothy as possible. Add the vanilla extract and beat in well.
Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the frothed egg and beat it vigorously for about 15 seconds. You want to beat it until you have about 1/2- to 1-inch of foam on top.
Pour into cups or mugs to serve. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the hot chocolate once it is in the mug.
Decadent Hot Chocolate
Recipe from the Inn at Little Washington, Washington D.C. A delightful, gourmet hot chocolate. don’t worry about the calories, just enjoy! This will not only impress your guests, but also yourself.
1 tea pot full of Hot Chocolate (see recipe below)
Tea cups
Whipped cream
Curls of white chocolate
Curls of milk chocolate
Prepare Hot Chocolate. Place a dollop of whipped cream in the bottom of each tea cup. Place a curl of white chocolate and a curl of milk chocolate in the cup over or beside the dollop of whipped cream.
Pour prepared Hot Chocolate over the top of the ingredients. The whipped cream will rise to the top and the chocolate curls will start melting.NOTE: Timing is important in making this hot chocolate, as you need to hand the person the cup right before you pour the hot chocolate into it.
Makes 4 (4 ounce) servings.
HOT CHOCOLATE
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk
Place the milk and chopped chocolate (can also add sugar to taste) in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk periodically until the mixture reaches the boiling point and is foamy.Remove from heat and if more foam is desired, use a wire whisk or hand held blender to whip the hot chocolate.
