Have you ever gone to work on an icy cold winter’s day and felt for some hot chocolate? The thought just doesn’t leave your mind – sweet, creamy, frothy – and all you want is to get out of the cold, and into the comfort of your own home to wrap your hands around a hot cuppa cocoa.
One of my good friends and colleague, Ashleigh Nefdt has brought to my attention that many citizens in Zimbabwe scratch using the usual cocoa powder that is bought in shops and simply melt chocolate in a pan with added milk. This statement simply left me drooling for some hot chocolate myself, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Leigh-Ann Londt.
Put down that powdery packet! From freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of dark chocolate, here are a few wild hot chocolate recipes for you to try, thanks to Yuppie Chef:
The silky Manhatten
Add milk and chocolate of your choice to a pot to simmer over medium heat for a few minutes while whisking. Pour your thick hot chocolate into a mug and add some toppings such as marshmallows, cinnamon or nutmeg, the choice is yours.
The triple vanilla
Grab some white chocolate and one or two pieces of dark chocolate, and add some hot, full cream milk to it and stir well. Once your texture is to your preference, add 2.5 ml of vanilla extract, topped off with some marshmallows.
The salt flake city
Melt 70% Lindt chocolate into a mug filled with boiling milk. Put a dollop of fresh cream on top and sprinkle some sea salt over the cream. For those who are more creative, a flake pushed through the cream will be equally yummy.
The toffee-malt mama
Take one Bar-one chocolate and mix it into some hot milk. Some toasted marshmallows from the fire or small pieces of extra Bar-One chocolate could do the trick as a topping too.
The Death by Chocolate
Start off by steaming a mug filled with full cream milk. Take a Magnum ice cream – ‘Death by Chocolate’, and stir it into the milk. Top this hot cuppa off with a sprinkle of cocoa or cinnamon.
For those who have a sweet tooth, it’s easy to top any hot chocolate recipe of your choice with either whipped cream, maple syrup, marshmallows, caramel, peppermint – basically anything to spice up your own hot chocolate recipe.
If you’re looking for another simple recipe to follow, click here.
Picture: Unsplash