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Luxury hot chocolate

Luxury Hot Chocolate Recipe

Luxury hot chocolate

Name: Luxury hot chocolate
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 3 tbsp cocoa powder; 1.5 litres whole milk; 3 tbsp demerara sugar plus extra to taste; 100g dark chocolate chopped; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 150ml single cream; dark rum, whisky, brandy, Disaronno or Baileys; squirty cream; Cadbury flakes; (available from Waitrose and ocado.com) Chloe’s Hazelnut & Cocoa Wafers; cinnamon sticks; ground cinnamon; chocolate chips; mini marshmallows; fudge chunks

Janine Ratcliffe

Published: November 2, 2022 at 10:15 AM

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Serves 8

Easy

Total time: 15 mins

A star rating of 5 out of 5.1 ratingRate

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Set up a hot chocolate station with all the toppings, then let people help themselves to create their own take on the ultimate hot chocolate

Skip to ingredients

Alternatives

Complete the dish

Read our tips for the best luxury hot chocolate plus check out our Baileys hot chocolate, boozy hot chocolate, slow cooker hot chocolate, vegan hot chocolate and more decadent hot chocolate recipes. Wondering who makes the best hot chocolate? Read our review of top-rated cocoa available to buy on the market.

For more winter cocktail recipes, try our chai latte, eggnog and mulled wine.

Hot chocolate station ideas

Unwind this festive season with a warming mug of decadent hot chocolate. To take things to the next level, set up your own hot chocolate station where friends and family can load up their perfect mug with all kinds of toppings.

To set up your station, you'll need some cocoa – see who makes the best hot chocolate or make your own with our recipe. Next, you'll need a selection of mugs for your guests to choose from. See the best coffee mugs to find your perfect style.

Set up little jars with plenty of toppings to pick from. This is where you can customise whatever ingredients you like best, the sky's the limit. Try chocolate chips, candy canes, cinnamon sticks and mini marshmallows. Add a selection of Monin flavoured coffee syrups (£9.99) to add a hint of vanilla, gingerbread or caramel.

Adults can treat themselves to a splash of booze in theirs for an added kick. We love Bailey's Irish Cream 17% ABV (£15.43), Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey 40% ABV (£22.12) and The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 40% ABV (£26.50). For more inspiration, see the best coffee liqueurs and our Irish cream taste test.

To really complete your set-up, add a milk frother to ensure a perfectly smooth result every time. See the best milk frothers to buy for our top recommendations.

Easy hot chocolate recipe

Ingredients

Nutrition

3 tbsp cocoa powder
1.5 litres whole milk
3 tbsp demerara sugar

plus extra to taste
100g dark chocolate

chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
150ml single cream

TOPPINGS

dark rum, whisky, brandy, Disaronno or Baileys
squirty cream
Cadbury flakes
(available from Waitrose and ocado.com) Chloe’s Hazelnut & Cocoa Wafers
cinnamon sticks
ground cinnamon
chocolate chips
mini marshmallows
fudge chunks

Nutrition: per serving

kcal530
fat26.2g
saturates16g
carbs47.5g
sugars43.8g
fibre1.9g
protein10.7g
salt0.3g

Method

step 1

Put the cocoa in a large bowl or jug and mix in enough cold milk to make a smooth paste. Put the rest of the milk in a pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk the milk into the cocoa paste until everything is incorporated then pour back into the pan. Add the sugar, chopped chocolate, vanilla and cream, and heat gently, stirring until everything is combined. Sweeten with extra demerara sugar to your liking.
step 2

Pour the chocolate into heatproof glasses and let everyone add their own toppings.

More hot chocolate recipes to try

White hot chocolate

Go all out with a large mug of velvety white hot chocolate, garnished with white chocolate fingers, mini marshmallows and whipped cream.

Mulled hot chocolate

Use up leftover red wine to jazz up your hot chocolate. This quick and easy mulled hot chocolate is the perfect way to warm up during the winter months.

Vegan hot chocolate

Turn everybody’s favourite hot drink vegan with oat or almond milk alternatives, topped with whipped plant-based cream.

Boozy hot chocolate

Mezcal or very peaty scotch whisky lends a welcome kick in this boozy hot chocolate. There's chilli in there for a bit of heat, too.

Orange hot chocolate

This rich and creamy hot chocolate comes with zingy notes of orange and intensity from dark chocolate. Add an extra layer of luxury with spiced rum.

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe in a short sleeved long dress sitting on a chair beneath palm trees on a balcony

Janine RatcliffeFood director

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