I make this homemade Hot chocolate when I want something to uplift my moods and spirit. I always have a block of baking (cooking) chocolate bars in the fridge and most of the time these chocolate bars get used up in making this decadent homemade hot chocolate.

The recipe is very easy and simple. It is made in three broad steps.

Hot Chocolate in 3 steps

1. Melting the chocolate.
2. Adding melted chocolate to hot milk.
3. Stirring and mixing.

Type of Chocolate

• Type:  You can use both couverture chocolate and compound chocolate. But note that couverture chocolate will give more rich, chocolaty, smooth and creamy quality to the drink as compared to compound chocolate.
• Percentage of cacao: You can use any type of chocolate having different percentages of cocoa solids and cocoa butter – semi-sweet, bitter-sweet or milk chocolate. The more percentage of cacao in the chocolate bar, the more it will have a chocolate flavor and bitterness.
• Chocolate chips: You can even use chocolate chips or callets.

Chocolate vs Cocoa Powder

I have made hot chocolate with cocoa powder and I personally find it grainy and not rich or creamy. Cocoa powder does not have cocoa butter in it. Whereas a couverture chocolate bar has cocoa butter in it.

Thus the cocoa butter from this chocolate gives the drink some creaminess and richness. That said, you can make hot cocoa or hot chocolate from cocoa powder. Just that it won’t be rich.

How to make Hot Chocolate

1. Chop 50 grams of semi-sweet chocolate. You will need 6 to 7 tablespoons of chopped chocolate (at room temperature). You can even use chocolate chips.

2. Take the chopped chocolate in a small mixing bowl.

3. Take 2 cups of full-fat milk or whole milk in a saucepan.

4. Add 2 tablespoons unrefined raw sugar. You can also use maple syrup or white sugar. Depending on the type of chocolate you use, you can add less or more sugar.

5. Begin to heat the milk. Mix and stir so that the sugar is dissolved.

6. Let the milk come to a boil. Switch off the flame.

7. Then take 2 to 3 tablespoons milk from the hot milk in the saucepan and add to the bowl containing chopped chocolate.

8. With a whisk mix the hot milk with the chocolate. The chocolate will begin to melt.

9. Mix to a smooth consistency.

10. Now pour this melted chocolate in the hot milk in the saucepan.

11. Mix very well.

12. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir and mix again.

13. Pour hot chocolate in mugs or cups.

14. Top each mug or cup with 1 to 2 tablespoons of whipped cream while serving. Whipped cream can be skipped. Note that the whipped cream should be not cold or chilled but at room temperature. If the whipped cream is chilled, the drink will become lukewarm.

15. Sprinkle some cocoa powder or chocolate shavings or gratings on top.

16. Serve Hot Chocolate straightaway.

More Tasty Recipes