Homemade hot cocoa
Rich stovetop hot chocolate made with cocoa powder and real chopped chocolate, whisked until thick and silky. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serve
- 380 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Put the cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Add about 4 tbsp of the milk and whisk to a smooth, lump-free paste.
Whisk in the rest of the milk and set the pan over medium heat. Heat, whisking now and then, until it's steaming with small bubbles around the edge. Don't let it boil.
Turn the heat to low, add the chopped chocolate and whisk until it melts completely and the cocoa looks glossy and slightly thickened.
Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Taste and add more sugar if you like.
Pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream or a handful of mini marshmallows, if using.
Tips
- Making the cocoa paste first is what stops lumps; dry cocoa straight into hot milk clumps.
- For peppermint hot cocoa, stir in 1/8 tsp peppermint extract with the vanilla and crush a candy cane over the top.
- Check your chocolate is gluten-free if that matters; most plain semisweet chocolate is.
