Spanish Hot Chocolate

Ok, so it’s been pretty freezing the last couple of days out here in Africa! I actually can’t believe the snow that has been falling in the Cape. I wish the same thing would happen here because it looks so beautiful plus we never ever get to play in the snow.

So seeing as it’s been so cold I thought I would mess around a bit in the kitchen with some hot chocolate recipes. I’m a huge fan of hot chocolates, BUT I hardly ever go out and have one and think, man that was amazing I can’t wait to come back here for another round. They’re always either too watery or not chocolatey enough, or they just taste like cheap powder mixed with way too much milk. I like decadent hot chocolates, ones that make you hold onto your cup like it’s the last ornate item on earth! One where every sip takes you on a Unicron ride around the sun.

So I’m pretty pleased to be sharing this next recipe with you because it’ll have you unicorn-ing it up and down your street at all hours of the night. Guaranteed. I have no idea what I’m going on about but just go with me here.

This Chocolate Caliente or Spanish Hot Chocolate is rich, smooth, thick and really delicious. It’s like one of those things that you feel like you’re treating yourself every time you have one. It only has five simple ingredients but these five parts make one hell of a drink!

* If you feel like paring this chocolate dream up with some soft, chewy Nutella and Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies then just click here. These bad boys require 10 minutes in the oven and BAM you’ve got yourself a chocolate party.

All you’re going to need is some good chocolate, full cream milk, cocoa, sugar and Maizena. A couple of people have messaged me to say that they are going to try Nutella in this too, I don’t for one minute think that is a bad idea! I used some of Nomu’s organic dark chocolate pieces and it came out a treat.

If you do try it, please let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS: Makes two servings

· 2 cups whole milk

· 1 teaspoon Maizena cornstarch

· 115 grams good chocolate – You can use whatever chocolate takes your fancy

· 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

· Half a teaspoon Nomu’s vanilla sugar – I had a jar of this and it’s delicious so I used it. If you don’t have any then brown, white or coconut sugar will do.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour the milk into to a saucepan, add the cornstarch and whisk to dissolve.
2. Heat the milk over a medium heat just until it boils, then remove it from the heat.
3. Add your chocolate and begin stirring until it has completely melted. If the milk cools off too fast, place the pan back on the stove over a low heat to help melt the chocolate.
5. Place the pan back on the stove over medium-low/medium heat, stirring slowly but constantly. Add the cocoa and vanilla sugar (You can also add normal sugar if you’d prefer) just taste it to see how sweet you would like it.
7. The mixture should thicken quickly (Do not cook the mixture over a high heat because it can cause it to become lumpy.) As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin.
8. Serve it up and get ready to be loved like by all near and far!