Save yourself a trip to your local café with our homemade hot chocolate recipe! We have four delicious versions of the sweet drink that will have the whole family licking their lips clean. Instead of using just cocoa powder and milk, we use melted chocolate as well, plus pouring cream, to create creamy hot chocolate that’s too easy to drink.
While all of the variations use whole milk, you can change the milk kind to suit your preference.
Make sure to top these hot chocolate recipes with extra whipped cream if you’re a lover of creamy hot chocolates!
And don’t forget the marshmallows!
Classic hot chocolate (left), Marshmallow & Hazelnut (right)
HOW TO MAKE A CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE
Prep time 10 minutes Serves 6
Coarsely chop 100g milk chocolate. Place 3 cups milk and 1 cup pouring cream in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. When mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, reduce heat to low. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder and the chopped chocolate. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until chocolate mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove pan from heat. Serve in mugs.
Flavour variation No. 1: marshmallow and hazelnut
Prep time 10 minutes Serves 6
Make Classic Hot Chocolate, adding ½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread to the hot chocolate mixture once pan is removed from heat; whisk until smooth and thick. To serve, divide hot chocolate among mugs. Top each with 2 white marshmallows and 2 tablespoons toasted chopped hazelnuts.
Caramel Wafer Crunch (left) & Strawberries & Cream (right)
Flavour variation No. 2: caramel wafer crunch
Prep time 10 minutes Serves 6
Make Classic Hot Chocolate, whisking in ½ cup store-bought dulce de leche (caramel sauce) at the end until melted and combined. Whip 125ml thickened cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. To serve, divide hot chocolate among mugs. Top each with a spoonful of whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed wafer roll biscuit. Serve each with 2 wafer roll biscuits for sipping and dipping.
Flavour variation No. 3: strawberries and cream
Prep time 10 minutes Serves 6
Coarsely chop 80g white chocolate. Place 2 cups each strawberry milk and pouring cream in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. When mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, reduce heat to low. Whisk in the chopped chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until smooth and creamy. Remove pan from heat. Whip 125ml thickened cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. To serve, divide hot chocolate among mugs. Top each with a spoonful of whipped cream, crushed freeze-dried strawberries and sliced fresh strawberries.
