Wednesday 19 June 2019

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

As a winter treat, I sometimes buy a mm mm somewhat crazy-expensive hot chocolate mix online.  Mr P. is going through it like a bull in a china shop, so I thought I'd better come up with another way to get a hold of this delicious drink.  I checked the ingredients, which are very simple, and while still not cheap, I will be able to get more bang for my buck putting it together myself.



hot chocolate - warm, dark and delicious

The cacao bean is a thing of beauty and mystery to me.  How on earth did someone think that there was a marvellous drink (or chocolate bar) waiting for them inside that big 'ol bean thingy?  Thank you to the Mayans (and Aztecs) back in 450 BC!  We love you for thinking of it:-) 


Original recipe by Sherry's Pickings:


ingredients:


90g. Valrhona or other good quality dark cocoa powder (unsweetened)

100g. Lindt 70% chocolate block - or any good quality dark chocolate

4 x 30g. Flake chocolate bars or 120g. milk chocolate block

1/4 tsp chilli powder or cinnamon or cardamom (optional)


Method:

Place the cocoa powder into a medium mixing bowl

Shave or grate the chocolate blocks, and tip the shards into the bowl with the cocoa powder and spice.  The Flake bars can be crumbled by hand or smashed gleefully with a mallet or muddler :-)

Give it a really good stir with a very dry spoon

Place in a glass jar or tin that you seal tightly; the mix will last for ages in a dark place

On those cold nights, grab yourself a mug, place 2-3 heaped teaspoonfuls of the luscious mix inside, and add boiling water and maybe a spoonful of cream or ice cream on top.  You may want to add a wee bit of sugar to your mug, but Mr P. and myself like it dark, rich and sophisticated :-)  (Remind you of anybody?  Tee hee.)  


Notes:

You can zap the chocolate by chopping into chunks and throwing into a food processor.  Just don't blitz it too hard; you want lovely shards of chocolate.  I blitzed some of the chocolate in the processor till very small, and got Mr P. to chop the rest into lovely slivers

Add whatever spice you like to the mix; maybe even black pepper, or nutmeg or dried lavender

If you like your hot chocolate a little sweeter or lighter, vary the amounts of dark and milk chocolate, or use a lesser % dark chocolate

If you happen to have one in your pantry (thanks Tiffin Fiona), you can give your mug a big twiddle with a molinillo/frother




glorious chocolate


pebbly chocolate bits


Get Mr P. to chop your chocolate :-)


cocoa powder and chocolate shards


ready for storing - and drinking


got my mug ready already :-)


molinillo/Mexican hot chocolate frother


This homemade version is less than half the cost of the bought one, so I'll be making it myself from now on.  Mr P. is very happy!



artwork © Sherry's Pickings 

34 comments:

  1. What a wonderful sounding recipe!

    You mentioned "a marvellous drink (or chocolate bar) waiting for them inside that big 'ol bean thingy" and gave the Aztecs full credit. They found the drink, but the invention of the process that makes chocolate into chocolate bars didn't happen until just a couple hundred years ago, and it wasn't perfected until the end of the 19th century. No miracles, I guess.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. hi Mae
      yes the history of cacao and chocolate making is a long and illustrious one and so interesting...

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  2. I could definitely do with a cup of this this week Sherry!

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    1. yes it has certainly been chilly the last few mornings lorraine!

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  3. This is a real winner from Mrs P. So delicious on a winter's night. You must try.

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  4. Save this for the winter! I love mine with chai spices :-)

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    1. I've never had it with chai spices. sounds ... different.

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  5. Sherry, since I only drink cocoa and hot chocolate (never had coffee or tea in my life!!), I love that you used the BEST quality ingredients here. My morning beverage (which I am writing about now for a post) is cocoa powder, sugar, and milk. But I will need to give yours a try (though probably with milk!). Yours sounds like what I call “special occasion” hot chocolate - and i am sure Mr. P knows why!

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    1. I'm amazed david that you don't drink any tea or coffee at all. I'm not a tea drinker but i do love my coffee. I think this version of hot chocolate should be a regular occurrence. Life is too short not to enjoy the best:-)

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  6. Dark, rich, and sophisticated! I'm all in!

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  7. Mmmm, hot chocolate! This look really good. And much better than any commercial mix I've had! Thanks.

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    1. thanks for dropping by KR. Yep this is a great time of year for hot chocolate.

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  8. This is SUCH a great idea! And you can totally change up the flavours based on your mood!

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    1. hi there Emma. how lovely to see you here. yes you can change the spices or the chocolate(s) easily. such fun! thanks for dropping by. cheers S

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  9. So glad you were able to use the frother. I'm looking forward to having some hot chocolate over the next few weeks, when winter is fleeting.

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    1. yes we have to enjoy it while we can. winter is indeed fleeting:)

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  10. Oh man, this sounds like my kind of hot chocolate! You've got some excellent quality cocoa powder AND chocolate bars in there. This would be the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day! Totally saving this recipe for when it gets cold again here...which probably won't be long. Haha!

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    1. hi david
      hot chocolate is to be enjoyed only briefly in queensland. winter only lasts about a week:-)

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  11. Well, I'm a hot chocolate lover any time of the year and that looks pretty terrific! Thanks for sharing your recipe. And thanks also for stopping by my blog. It was nice to see you again!

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    1. hi jeanie
      nice to see you here. yep hot chocolate is always a winner:-)

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  12. You got me with a scoop of ice cream, count me in.

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  13. I also make it myself, it is so delicious, have a lovely week☺

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  14. Wow. This sounds delicious, Sherry, but I feel the need for loose fitting pants if I had too much of it, which I would, no doubt. Hope you and yours are well. Greetings from retirement on the south coast of NSW xx

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    1. thanks liz. wonderful to see you here. hope everything is going well for you on the coast:) cheers sherry

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  15. This looks tastier than your standard mix--what a great idea!

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  16. Sherry, I always enjoy your IMK post and this one was no exception. I was glad to hear your sauerkraut made it through the fermentation process.

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    1. thanks very much Ron. Yes we have gone thru 2 jars of the sauerkraut already. Recipe coming up soon:) HOpe all is going well with your move.

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