Perfect hot chocolate - not the everyday stuff!

Most of us are roasting under the sun already as summer begins to truly settle.

Out comes the ice and away goes the hot chocolate, soups, and all the other comfort foods we confide in during those cold winter nights.

However the summer shall be over in a few months and the cruel winter will return. The wicked witch is not dead - just resting.

They say its always good to prepare early, and whilst this may be a little TOO early, I still think its worthwhile to keep your winter recipe collection box open.

And with winter recipes in mind, here I present a not only heart warming but also mouth watering hot chocolate recipe. For our fix of hot choc, most of us are used to a few teaspoons of Cadbury's or Galaxy chocolate powder dissolved in some boiling water. However that cheap stuff truly tastes cheap and nasty when a proper hot chocolate entertains ones' taste buds. 

A few weeks ago, I decided to take matters into my own hands and concoct my own brew of hot chocolate - something that had more meaning to it and ultimately more flavour, so I didn't have to worry about my wallet being drained by Starbucks or Cafe Nero. 

Here goes...

Ingredients:

Hot chocolate powder (I used Cadbury)

Milk chocolate bar (some good quality choc would be fantastic, but if it's not around, a regular bar of plain chocolate will do) Dark chocolate is great too (for that extra pazazz!)

Double cream - around 1/2 of a regular mug (too much will make the hot chocolate desert like and way too heavy)

A full mug of milk

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

A few teaspoons of sugar 

Pinch of salt (optional)

Step 1: 

Pour around 1/2 the cream into a bowl. Add a teaspoon or so of sugar if you like and whisk briskly until whipped. Dont whip too much otherwise the cream may turn into butter!

Step 2:

Grate the chocolate bar - enough to fill around 1/2 your mug. 

Add 2-3 teaspoons of the hot chocolate powder

Step 3:

Use a large saucepan to heat the milk. Slowly add the chocolate - bit by bit and stir frequently until all of it is melted.

Step 4:

Add around 1/2 of the double cream. Leave the other 1/2 for the topping. Stir or whisk briskly.

Step 5:

Add the sugar to taste. I like my hot choc sweet so I usually add 2-3 tsp per mug. Add the cinnamon and salt and stir.

A healthier option for sugar is honey. If you don't use sugar or honey, the cinnamon can be a good substitute for sweetness. However if you do use sugar bear in mind that the chocolate already adds sweetness, so make sure you check the taste!

Also I haven't personally tried adding salt, however I know many people do recommend this. 

It's all about experimenting!

Step 6:

Your hot chocolate brew is nearly ready. Whisk for around 30 seconds to give it a frothy texture (just like in the shops!) and pour into your favourite mug. Top with a spoonful of the whipped cream.

Serving suggestion: Sprinkle some cinnamon or grated chocolate on top. And a warm apple pie with a dollop of the whipped cream makes a great side!

Enjoy!

Don't forget to bookmark this recipe for winter when you'll appreciate it the most!