Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe

Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe uses hot milk that is whisked with ground hazelnuts and cocoa powder and swirled with condensed milk for added richness. This drink is then topped with crushed hazelnuts and chocolate shavings. A sip of hot chocolate is the perfect drink on cool fall evenings!

As fall sets in and the autumnal colors start to take hold, I’m always reminded that this is the pre-start of the holiday season.  As the dog days of summer pass, the dry and sometimes sweltering Bay Area heat that basked in our evening barbeques gives way to the cool brisk morning air stark against the deep blue morning sky.

The green leaves slowly turn to a mild yellow, then to orange and finally to a deep red. It not only reminds me of the passage of time and seasons but also that it is time to start out with a new menu set to reflect the cooler days and upcoming holidays.

Origin:

And nothing is more quintessential than Hot Chocolate which is easy to make and the recipe is great on cooler days. While you would not be wrong in associating hot chocolate with Hershey, would it surprise you to find that this perennial autumn and winter drink could be as old as three millennia?

Indeed, historians by tracing the history to the humble cacao bean of Mesoamerica, think that it originated with the Olmec civilization of the Gulf of Mexico and eventually perfected by both the Maya and the Aztecs. They believe that cacao beans were ground with chilis and sweetened with honey and other ingredients and were served during religious ceremonies. As a chocolate aficionado, I can certainly appreciate and celebrate that!

As a consequence of the Colombian Exchange, the Spanish monarchy and aristocrats began partaking of this heated confection, sweetened with cane sugar. While the formula was kept secret, chocolate spread from Spain through France and Italy. This confection became so popular in Iberian society that chocolate was as synonymous with the Spanish as tea was addictive to the English.

Obviously with the Atlantic migration, the beverage arrived to colonial America via Europe in the late 17th century. At this time, cocoa processors began importing chocolate from Central America at the same time as they were importing sugar from the Caribbean. It was during the War of Independence when the British taxed tea that Americans began to drink chocolate … what a tasteful way of defying the British!

By the mid-19th century, cocoa butter was added through ‘conching’.  Conching is the process of mixing and aerating liquid chocolate where the naturally bitter elements of cacao and water evaporate, leaving a plainer product. Other ingredients such as nut paste or sugar is added to amend the taste of the chocolate. Long story short, while chocolate was once the purview of adults, by the Victorian period, it also became (almost exclusively) the province of children. Thus began the legend of making quick recipes of Hot Chocolate during winter!

Now, you would be equally surprised by the history of Hot Chocolate’s favorite accoutrement: the marshmallow. As far back as two thousand BC, the Egyptians were boiling pieces of the marshmallow root pulp with sugar and straining it to produce sweet deserts.

In fact, Althaea officinalis, has wide applications for various ailments including coughs, skin irritation, and digestive problems such as ulcers.  But it was hard to cook and so in the 19th century, it was replaced with gelatin. It’s hard to imagine a concoction with such a varied and storied history as the Hot Chocolate and marshmallow.

Other toppings:

  • marshmallows
  • whipped cream
  • caramel sauce
  • maple syrup
  • honey
  • crushed nuts
  • chocolate chips

Other flavors in Hot Chocolate:

  • coffee (espresso)
  • spices (ground cinnamon)
  • extracts (peppermint)
  • chili (a dash of cayenne pepper)

easy to make hot chocolate in glasses with hazelnuts on top

How to make this easy Hot Chocolate using my recipe:

  1. In a medium saucepan, boil the milk. Add all the ingredients in and whisk together using an immersion blender.

boil the milk and whisk all the ingredients

2. Serve hot in glasses topped with chocolate shavings and crushed hazelnuts.

easy to make hot chocolate in glasses with hazelnuts on top

Tips:

1. Feel free to add heavy cream or half and half and omit the condensed milk to make the drink even richer.

2. You could use skimmed milk and reduce the amount of sugar to make a lighter drink.

3. Boil the milk on stovetop before adding the cocoa powder and other ingredients to make a smoother drink. If there are undissolved chunks, then strain the Hot Chocolate before adding the toppings.

Storage:

This Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe is best when enjoyed as soon as it is made. However, you could refrigerate any leftover for a couple of days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove and then add your toppings. Serve or enjoy this drink with Ground Hazelnut Cookies or Chocolate Cookies With Cream Filling!

Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe

easy to make hot chocolate in glasses with hazelnuts on top
Kanchan Dilip
Hot milk is whisked with ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and swirled with condensed milk for added richness. This drink is then topped with crushed hazelnuts and chocolate shavings. A sip of hot chocolate is the perfect drink on cool fall evenings.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 3
Calories 247 kcal

Equipment

  • Stovetop, immersion blender

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon ground hazelnut
  • 3 tablespoon milk chocolate grated
  • ½ teaspoon caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoon condensed milk
  • teaspoon cocoa powder
  • teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, boil the milk. Add all the ingredients in and whisk together using an immersion blender.
    boil the milk and whisk all the ingredients
  • Serve hot in glasses topped with chocolate shavings and crushed hazelnuts.
    easy to make hot chocolate in glasses with hazelnuts on top

Notes

  1. Condensed milk is optional in this recipe. If you choose to omit it, then adjust the sugar to your liking. 
  2. Hot chocolate tastes great when made with milk rather than water. Milk powder can also be used as a substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 278mgPotassium: 441mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 446IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 365mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword easy hot chocolate recipe, hot chocolate

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
247
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
36
mg
12
%
Sodium
 
278
mg
12
%
Potassium
 
441
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
24
g
8
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
23
g
26
%
Protein
 
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
 
446
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
365
mg
37
%
Iron
 
0.4
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Trending Recipes