Hot chocolate is one of my favourite things in the world during the winter season (or any time that I feel it's cold and I need a bit of comfort.)
There is just nothing better than winding up on a cold winter day with a cup of steaming hot chocolate and muffins.
What’s good about hot chocolate is that you can always make your own at home as it is quick and easy to make. Apart from that, it is much cheaper to make it yourself.
You can also add in different flavours, which brings me to this: we have found some of the most heavenly hot chocolate recipes that you can make yourself and these will keep you warm through until spring.
White hot chocolate. Picture: Supplied
Buttermint white hot chocolate
Ingredients
A cup of heavy cream
½ a cup of crushed butter mints (You know those boiled mints that are hard on the outside, but melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside? Those!),
Several squares of chopped white chocolate (go wild, but not too wild),
2tsp of vanilla extract and a generous splash of your Irish cream liqueur.
Method
Whisk the milk, cream, and about two-thirds of your crushed butter mints in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Stir until the mixture is hot but not boiling, and your mints have dissolved.
Remove from the heat and stir through your chocolate, vanilla extract, and liqueur. Garnish with the rest of your butter mint sprinkle and a few marshmallows for good measure.
Hot chocolate recipes to enjoy this winter. Picture: Pexels
A special hot chocolate
Ingredients
2 cups of milk
2tbsp sugar
2tbsp cocoa powder
Cinnamon, to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
Method
In a saucepan, mix two cups of milk, two tablespoons of sugar, about two tablespoons of cocoa powder, a sprinkle of cinnamon (to taste) and a pinch of nutmeg.
Heat through (but don’t boil) and remove from the heat before stirring in a good splash of Kahlua or other coffee liqueur (or a nutty or mint liqueur could work just as well if that’s more your thing).
Garnish as you wish with coffee grounds, chocolate shavings, or marshmallows - whatever warms your soul the most.
Recipes by Avukile Mabombo.
Spanish hot chocolate. Picture from Instagram (Angie Batis Durrant)
Spanish hot chocolate
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1tsp cornstarch
115 g good chocolate
1tsp cocoa powder
½ tsp of brown, white or coconut sugar
Method
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the cornstarch and whisk to dissolve.
Heat the milk over medium heat just until it boils, then remove it from the heat.
Add your chocolate and begin stirring until it has completely melted. If the milk cools off too fast, place the pan back on the stove over low heat to help melt the chocolate.
Place the pan back on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring slowly but constantly. Add the cocoa and sugar (just taste it to see how sweet you would like it).
The mixture should thicken quickly (Do not cook the mixture over high heat because it can cause it to become lumpy.) As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch does not thin.
Serve it up in your favourite cup with a dash of vanilla cream.
Recipe by Angie Batis Durrant.