A step by step guide on how to make the best homemade Hot Chocolate by using real melted Chocolate, and this great hot chocolate recipe. This amazing recipe makes for a luxury, gourmet Hot Chocolate that has often been described as the best ever tasted. The tips have come from a fine French Chocolatier; a holistic herbalist; trial & error; and my own love of experimenting with fine ingredients. It may be the best Hot Chocolate recipe in the world? Try it? And do tell me how you get on.... You may even find it delicious. Or slightly Aphrodisiac*?
Ingredients and Instructions below...
You can adjust the portions of sea-salt and Cayenne to suit yourself. The salt opens all the flavours and brings the rich chocolatey taste out fully; and the Cayenne keeps it on the palate longer, as well as adding an aftertaste that contrasts the chocolate.
It works as a delicious, luxury Hot Chocolate treat; but also as a nice start to a Birthday, or Anniversary, or even to begin a Valentines Day. Or end one? Read on....
*Apparently - Eating dark chocolate improves Serotonin levels partly because of Resveratrol which is said to boost both Endorphin and Serotonin levels. And Cayenne Pepper naturally increases bloodflow. So, it could be suggested that the Dark Chocolate/Cayenne combo also seems to have Aphrodisiac qualities: The Dark Chocolate boosts Endorphins and Serotonin, while the Cayenne boosts blood-flow!
Can't be bad ;)
It certainly is a great Hot Chocolate Recipe that makes amazing homemade Hot Chocolate! And it may even improve your love-life?
'Hot' hot-chocolate for a boost to your libido.
WHAT YOU NEED: per person (PP)
• 50-70g TOP quality Dark Chocolate (~70% cocoa) PP (80-100g for a kick)
• 200 ml milk PP ( I only ever use full-cream milk)
• Half a heaped teaspoon of Top Quality cocoa powder PP (NOT drinking chocolate powder but PURE cocoa)
• Pinch of sea salt PP (or a few large grains of rock sea salt) - less than 1/8th of a teaspoon
• small pinch of Cayenne Pepper (or Chilli Powder is okay) (NOT TOO much)
• 2 teaspoons of Brown Sugar PP
**Try adding 15-20g of Butter to the melting chocolate early on**
• **OPTIONAL**
20-50ml of Hazelnut milk
HARDWARE:
• a Bain-Marie (a pot of hot water beneath with a heatproof bowl or metal melting bowl the fits on top of it.) - Make sure it's stable.
HOW TO:
• Break the chocolate into small chunks into the melting bowl. (Add a Tablespoon of water to help carry/distribute the heat)
• Put about an inch of water in base of a pan, and put melting bowl on top; and start SLOWLY melting the chocolate over the steam
• (Keep of bowl of cold water handy in case you need to cool the base of the melting pot from time to time)
**EDIT** add 15-20g of Butter at this point and let it melt into the chocolate.
• Melt the chocolate super slowly! Gently stirring all the time. Lift & fold the choc OFF the bottom of the pan so it doesn't get too hot on the bottom... (Don't rush the melting)
• Whilst it's melting - mix the cocoa powder, salt, sugar, Cayenne/chili powder, with a little milk/water into a smooth paste - once well mixed - add more milk to it to make it pourable (50ml)
• When the chocolate is melted - add this paste to the molten chocolate...
• Once all mixed and starting to heat, slowly add more of the milk and fold it well into it. You should have a super smooth chocolatey goo by now.
• Bit by bit, add the rest of the milk and allow it to heat up over the steam, gently stirring all the time.
• Heat it up pretty hot, stirring all the time.
• When ready - carefully pour/decant into your cups.
• Allow to stand still for 5-7mins before drinking, so the top of it sets a bit and forms a gooey chocolate layer on the top.
• Enjoy!
For double the portions just double the ingredients. Try making it for four?
Please let me know how you get on....?
