A warm place in a cup and a must-try drink for the holiday season. This recipe makes 4 small servings or 2 generous ones. Make it more exciting with the tips below 🙂
Sweetness
Start low on sweetener. Melt the chocolate first, then taste.
Too sweet? Add a splash of unsweetened soy milk, a pinch of salt, or a little extra cacao.
Espresso Add-In
1–2 espresso shots in your cup then pour hot chocolate
Espresso deepens flavor and balances sweetness.
Best with 70–85% dark chocolate.
Chocolate Choices
Classic: Plain dark chocolate (70–75%)
Orange chocolate: Use orange-infused chocolate or steep orange zest, then remove
Spiced: Cinnamon or a tiny pinch of chili
Mint: Mint chocolate or briefly steep fresh mint
Italian Hot Chocolate (Dairy-free)
Ingredients
Instructions
Make the slurry
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In a small bowl, add the cacao powder and cornstarch using a sifter. Pour in 3 tablespoons cold soy milk and whisk until completely smooth.
Heat the milk
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Add the remaining soy milk to a saucepan with the cinnamon bark. Heat over medium-low until hot but not boiling.
Add slurry
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Whisk the slurry into the hot milk slowly, stirring constantly so it thickens evenly.
Sweeten & melt
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Add the sweetener and chopped chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture becomes thick and glossy, about 3–5 minutes.
Serve
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Remove the cinnamon bark. Pour into cups and serve immediately.
