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How do you make hot chocolate?

(57 Posts)
kittylester Sun 29-Oct-23 17:28:29

I often choose hot chocolate in a cafe at this time of year but I can't get it right at home.

Does anyone have any secrets?

JackyB Mon 30-Oct-23 10:05:45

Does anyone like it really thick, like in this video? It looks like custard.

youtube.com/shorts/f7kZgJbyQ-o?si=d1AMG8tQYrMWyAk5

AmberSpyglass Mon 30-Oct-23 11:16:47

Oh, that looks delicious!

Witzend Mon 30-Oct-23 11:21:03

I still prefer good old fashioned cocoa. I usually find hot chocolate a bit over-sweet.

kittylester Mon 30-Oct-23 11:24:21

I've just made one and tried frothing it with DH's whisky thing. Didn't work. Tempted to buy squirty cream so it looks the part!!

JackyB Mon 30-Oct-23 12:55:16

I sometimes put mini marshmallows on the top and put it under the grill for a minute until the marshmallows go brown on the top and soft underneath. I've even thought of getting one of those little "blowtorches" specifically for the purpose!

NotSpaghetti Mon 30-Oct-23 20:23:11

My milk frother goes straight on the hob and looks like a cafetiere.
It's good for coffee but also for hot chocolate or cocoa.

I've had it for probably years and it's very easy and holds plenty.

twiglet77 Mon 30-Oct-23 20:29:33

Velvetiser! Just right for one big mug.

MiniMoon Tue 31-Oct-23 10:25:59

I have a velvetiser from Hotel Chocolat. I hardly ever use the chocolate flakes in it though. It does a marvellous job of velvetising Horlicks.

annodomini Tue 31-Oct-23 10:48:34

I wish cafés would take the advice given in this thread. I sometimes despair. Some of the worst hot chocolate I've had has been in certain coffee chains. The best in this country was in an Italian café where it was almost as good as the hot chocolate I've had in Italy itself. Oh and there's one in Paris that I remember fondly. I'm sure I could find it again.

PinkCosmos Tue 31-Oct-23 11:01:21

I have used the hot chocolate stirrers. It is a wooden spoon with a block of chocolate attached. You stir the spoon in hot milk until the chocolate melts.

I only have hot chocolate occasionally so they are quite convenient. You can get different flavours

www.amazon.co.uk/Pendragon-Drinks-Hot-Chocolate-Stirrers/dp/B076FVCX6H?tag=gransnetforum-21

Doodledog Tue 31-Oct-23 13:31:55

Get them direct from Pendragon, PC. They are much cheaper, particularly when delivery is taken into account. I mentioned them upthread as I use their chocolate flakes in the Velvetiser. The Dark Spice one is delicious.

pendragondrinks.co.uk

Doodledog Tue 31-Oct-23 13:32:36

The Dark Spice hot chocolate, I mean. It is great sprinkled on things like banoffee pie or ice cream, too.

Grantanow Tue 31-Oct-23 13:33:25

We make it with the choc powder and a quarter of a mug of boiling water, stir and then add hot milk to fill mug and stir again.

Toddleo Tue 31-Oct-23 13:40:17

I recommend using the instant hot chocolate powders, which you are meant to make by adding boiling water. Instead I used hot milk and no water, it's super creamy, and delicious

Pammie1 Tue 31-Oct-23 13:48:02

When I bought my coffee pod machine it came with a milk frother. I use the Starbucks Classic cocoa and add a dash of cream to the milk before whizzing it in the frother.

SheepyIzzy Tue 31-Oct-23 13:51:55

Years ago, Whittards did the stocky shaped tubs of their white hot chocolate, creme brulee hot chocolate, some other flavours of course but these 2 were divine. Around £3 a tub when buy On offer, several heaped teaspoons at a time, i think with milk....., Oh my! THEN they changed the tubs to a slender tall type, with less powder for more money and I stopped buying it. Now, I do without, if really really want some, sugar, cocoa powder creamed together whilst nuking milk in microwave or on hob, if making quite a bit then slapped together! (When say alot, our beloved epileptic dog who we lost last year, when she was being treated for clusters, she had extra meds during the night and I would do flasks of hot chocolate if we needed it!)

DeeJaysMum Tue 31-Oct-23 14:30:57

There's only one right way to make hot chocolate....

Take a mug of steaming hot milk, add copious amounts of your preferred chocolate, leave to stand for approx 1 minute, stir vigorously, then drink when it drops to your preferred temperature

I can't stand any of the powdered stuff, it makes me heave to even see someone else drinking it

nexus63 Tue 31-Oct-23 14:56:38

most of you will think of this as not hot chocolate, i don't like chocolate flavoured anything so mine is, mug of milk in microwave then add sugar and half a teaspoon of hot chocolate, mine is cadbury's and has been sitting in the cupboard for about 7 years......and yes it is still fine to use. i have this to stop me spending hours in the loo as it binds me up.

ninamoore Tue 31-Oct-23 15:05:18

Green and Blacks, hot water, little bit of oat milk and if feeling needy, cream and grated dark chocolate. Perfecto

Vintagegirl Tue 31-Oct-23 15:05:21

Heat mugful of milk in jug in microwave.
Put teaspoonful of cocoa powder ( I like Aldi own brand) into mug and mix in scant amount of sugar (1/4 teaspoon or to taste).
Add small amount of hot milk and blend to creamy texture.
Add rest of hot millk... enjoy!

Doodledog Tue 31-Oct-23 15:31:32

I can't stand any of the powdered stuff, it makes me heave to even see someone else drinking it
I wouldn't go that far, but if anyone has't tried the grated chocolate (or chocolate flakes) from HC or Pendragon (and others) there is no comparison between that and chocolate powder. Some will prefer one over the other, but they are different tastes, so if you think you don't like hot chocolate, or that it is too sweet, try the flakes - they do them in dark as well as milk.

JudyBloom Tue 31-Oct-23 16:05:40

I make 'hot chocolate' with cocoa sweetened with a little honey melted in a little hot water with two squares of 70 or 85 percent dark chocolate and top with hot frothed milk - absolutely divine!

Tanjamaltija Tue 31-Oct-23 18:01:31

Six squares of Cadbury Bournville per mug. Heat water in microwave (careful!) so it's hotter than boiling (superheated). Then, pour over chocolate, and stir. Do not drink it immediately, because it will be scalding hot. If you like, you can add milk, or stir it with a cinnamon stick instead of a teaspoon. It's the way my nan made it, and she stirred it on the stove till the chocolate melted, since she there were no microwaves. None of the newfangled Ciobar stuff.

grandtanteJE65 Tue 31-Oct-23 18:13:07

Use a good block of confectioner's chocolate, break it into small pieces and place these in a ovenproof dish. Stand the dish in a saucepan of boiling water and stir the chocolate until it is completely melted. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate.

Bring full cream milk to the boil and whip it into the molten chocolate a little at a time.

This is hot chocolate and should be served with a good dollop of whipped cream.

Anything made with powdered chocolate is just a hot chocolate flavoured drink and not worth drinking.

Cocoa on the other hand is quicker than hot chocolate to make and as long as you use the best quality Dutch or Belgian cocao will taste fine, and full fat milk, of course, plus as much cocoa and sugar as you like. some like cocoa stronger than others.

Esmay Tue 31-Oct-23 18:30:19

The best way for me is to use old fashioned cocoa with a little sugar in hot milk .
And froth it up afterwards - like
NotSpaghetti .