It’s so much more than mixing hot cocoa powder in boiling milk
For my tenth birthday, I opened an envelope from my grandparents which contained a cheque and a card. The inside of the card had your standard happy birthday message and on the back of this card was a “fancy hot chocolate” recipe, which I made almost immediately. It was creamy, decadent and all around the best hot chocolate I had ever had.
I made it occasionally after that first time but found it to be a long and tedious process. A double boil for the chocolate, reducing and increasing temperatures often to ensure nothing burns, boiling the milk and folding the chocolate in—sure it was a great hot chocolate, but who has the time for all of that?
So, over the years, I learned how to adapt and change the recipe. I took out a lot of steps and got this recipe down to three ingredients with a five-minute cook time. It’s still the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had and, not to brag, anyone who tries it says the same as well. Fair warning though, this recipe is addicting so read on at your own risk. And shout out to my bubby and zaidy for the recipe, which, 13 years later, I still can’t get enough of.
To begin, take out your favourite medium-sized saucepan—or pot, call it whatever you want, and add in your chocolate, sugar and milk. Place the mixture on the stove on medium heat. Congratulations, you’re officially halfway through the recipe. Told you it was easy, didn’t I?
Stir the hot chocolate every 30 seconds for about a minute and a half. By this point, the chocolate should be melting and you’re one step closer to the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had. Once the chocolate is almost fully melted and incorporated into the milk, turn the heat down to medium-low.
Now it’s time for your arm workout of the day! Stir constantly for about two minutes to ensure the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated. Everything is coming together at this point, and the mixture should look dark and chocolatey. Dip your spoon (or whatever utensil you’re using to mix) vertically into the pot and lift it back out. If the chocolate coating stays on the spoon, you have about 30 seconds left to wait before trying this life-changing hot chocolate. If your spoon comes up clean; however, just keep mixing constantly for another few minutes. You’re almost there!
Let’s hope that your spoon came out with the coating. Now, let the mixture sit until the hot chocolate starts to boil. I know, I know, a watched pot never boils, but patience is key here. When I made this recipe as an impatient child, I never wanted to wait for this part. But my mom says that letting the hot chocolate boil brings the flavours together, and I trust her judgement.
Once your hot chocolate is boiling, turn off the heat. You can either call it a day here, pour your hot chocolate into a mug and (cautiously—it’s hot!) take your first sip, or you can elevate this drink a little bit.
Once the heat is off, pour in a small amount of vanilla and stir vigorously. The hot chocolate will bubble when the vanilla makes contact, so don’t be concerned over that. Once you pour your hot chocolate into a cup, another addition I’ve started to include over the years is a dash of cinnamon. Just a little sprinkle goes a long way, but measure with your heart and give it a quick stir. Voila! Your fancy, elevated hot chocolate is ready. All that’s left to complete this perfect evening is a cozy spot on the couch and a good book.
THE RECIPE
Prep Time
2 Minutes
Total Time
7 Minutes
Serving
1
INGREDIENTS
2 oz semisweet chocolate
1 ¼ cups of milk
1 tsp of sugar
Optional ingredients
¼ tsp of vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add your chocolate, sugar and milk to a medium-sized saucepan and place on stove over medium heat
- Stir every 30 seconds, the chocolate will start to melt and break down into the milk after approximately a minute and a half
- Once the chocolate is almost entirely incorporated, lower the heat to medium-low and stir constantly
- At this point, the mixture should look dark and heavy. Dip your spoon vertically into the pot and lift it back out. The chocolate coating should stay on the metal, signaling that your hot chocolate is almost ready
- Stop stirring, turn the heat back up to medium and wait for the mixture to boil. Once at a medium to roaring boil, promptly turn off heat, take the pot off of the stove and pour into your favourite mug
Optional step
- Once mixture comes to a boil, turn off heat. Instead of promptly removing the pot from the stove, add vanilla and cinnamon to taste. Stir vigorously, pour and enjoy
And that’s it! Didn’t I tell you this recipe would be easy? So throw away your instant packets of hot chocolate mix and try this instead the next time you want a cozy afternoon with a book in one hand and this drink in the other. Be sure to let us know what you think of it. Even snap a photo of your finished delicious product and tag us on Instagram @paper.and.lore for a chance to be featured in our Instagram stories.
Paper & Lore 