Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (Hot Cocoa) (2024)

FAQs

How do I make a hot cup of cocoa? ›

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Add water; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in milk; heat to serving temperature (do not boil).

(A solute is anything the solvent dissolves.) In hot chocolate, the hot water or milk acts as the solvent to dissolve the cocoa powder, the solute.

Ingredients You'll Need

This combination is my absolute favorite, but I'll give you a few substitutions you can use to make this with what you have in your pantry right now! cocoa powder – Either unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch processed cocoa or cacao powder will work in making your own hot chocolate.

In terms of ranking, we agreed that the cocoa made with milk provided an ultra-smooth experience and was our favorite. However, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the water-based cocoa. While it wasn't as creamy as the milk, it had its benefits.

Fruit and 100% Dark Chocolate Pairings

Because 100 percent dark chocolate can be bitter, it pairs best with fruits that are extra sweet. It helps neutralize very sweet fruits. Dark chocolate also pairs well with the sourness of passion fruit and the tanginess of citrus.

She also recommends Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker as another solid option for natural—the 100% Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder—and mentioned the King Arthur Baking Company. The latter has two Dutch-process cocoas she likes—the Bensdorp Cocoa Powder and the Burgundy Cocoa.

Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

It Started in Mexico. As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers (as well as other ingredients)—a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today.

How much water are you using? It might be worth checking how much water a packet is designed to be used with and whether you're adding too much. How much milk did you try adding? I find that even a small amount (a teaspoon or two) can make it noticeably creamier without too much effect on the taste.

Reduce: Simply simmer your hot chocolate on low heat for longer, allowing it to reduce and become naturally thicker. Use Chocolate Chunks: Melt actual chocolate chunks or shavings into your hot milk rather than just relying on cocoa powder. This adds richness and density.

Why won't my hot chocolate dissolve? ›

Fat molecules are naturally averse to water—they shy away from it like my dogs from a bath, and tend to stick together when confronted with it. Dry cocoa is about 12 percent fat by weight, so when you drop it into water, those fat molecules stick together (much like the starch), forming an impenetrable shield.

In short, you can use hot chocolate powder as a cocoa powder substitute in a pinch, but you may not experience the depth of flavour you want. Because most brands of hot chocolate powder include sugar or sweetener, you may wish to reduce the amount of sugar you add to your baking recipe.

Your cocoa powder will have a 'best-before' date on it. The taste might start to gradually mellow after that date or it might go a bit 'clumpy', but it's unlikely you'll notice much difference. It's still safe to eat as long as it doesn't feel moist or smell unpleasant.

When you add a hot liquid to cocoa powder, the heat releases cocoa's volatile flavor compounds, the substances that make up chocolate's enticing aroma. Blooming cocoa powder doesn't necessarily change its flavor but significantly intensifies it.

Expert Tip 2: Whipped Cream

One easy way to take your hot cocoa to the next level is to make flavored whipped cream! Combine 1 cup cold heavy cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint (or flavor of your choice) extract in a cold mixing bowl. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.

The easiest way to bloom cocoa powder is to use liquid that already goes into your recipe, heating it up until it's warm but not boiling, adding it to your cocoa powder, and letting it sit for a few minutes.