Hot Chocolate

Cuisine: European

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 1

Who doesn’t enjoy hot cocoa? Here’s an easy recipe that will show you how to make hot chocolate in a jiff. This easy recipe uses bittersweet chocolate instead of cocoa powder. So, you’re in for a treat.

List of ingredients:

Whole milk - 2 cups
Bittersweet chocolate - a little under 1 cup, chopped finely
Granulated sugar - 2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract - ½ teaspoon

A delicious cup of hot cocoa for those cold winter days

Pour the milk into a saucepan, and place it over medium heat. Add the sugar.
While you wait for the milk to come to a boil, pop the chocolate into the microwave for 30 seconds. Take it out, stir it, and put it in for another 30 seconds. Repeat this process until your chocolate has melted.
Once the milk reaches a scalding point of 180 degrees F (you’ll see bubbles forming on the sides), turn off the heat. Pour in your melted chocolate, and whisk till combined. Add the vanilla extract, and voilà!

Chef Tip: Use chocolate of good quality to get an exquisite cup of hot cocoa. You can serve the hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top or with a couple of marshmallows.

When sweater weather arrives, this easy hot chocolate recipe will be your go-to. It works as a nice drinkable dessert and a great way to warm up. Plus, if anyone is down with the blues, this hot chocolate will make them feel a whole lot better. Share this easy hot chocolate recipe with your friends — they’ll love it!

Quick Bites

Fun Fact

• The Aztecs and the Mayans used cocoa beans as currency.

• Some of them even made knock-off cocoa beans by using clay, much like today's counterfeit currency. Only the upper class could drink hot chocolate regularly. Imagine the lower class drinking their income!

Historical Fact

• Archeological evidence suggests that chocolate drink was in existence as early as 500 BC in the Mayan Civilisation.

• The Mayans ground cocoa seeds and mixed them in water, cornmeal, and other ingredients.

Nutrition Fact

• A serving of 12 oz or 336g of hot chocolate can contain 190 calories of which 22.5 calories are from fat.

• Cocoa is claimed to reduce high blood pressure, improves blood flow to your brain and brain functions, elevates your mood and controls depression, and benefit your teeth and skin. We know that wine is packed with antioxidants, but the cocoa drink has twice the antioxidants as wine.