White hot chocolate: the recipe
Everyone loves the sweet, velvety taste of chocolate, and for most people, it’s even better hot. There’s nothing quite like the aroma of hot chocolate, whether it’s oozing from the centre of a warm chocolate pudding-like these hot chocolate galettes, or from a steaming mug of rich, creamy hot chocolate. Delicious hot drinks are one of the best things about colder weather, and whether you prefer a spiced mulled wine, a decadent hot chocolate, or even a combination of the two, everyone has their favourite homemade recipe.
Hot chocolate has a long and illustrious history. Chocolate was first enjoyed as a drink as early as 500 BC by the Mayan civilization, in what is now Mexico. Early chocolate drinks were served cold, thickened with cornmeal and flavoured with chilli and spices, and there are plenty of delicious recipes for modern-day Mexican hot chocolate that still showcase the true, bitter taste of cocoa with spices and chilli heat. The drink was introduced to Europe in the 1500s by Spanish explorers, and over the following centuries milk and sugar were added, creating the hot chocolate we know and love today.
Hot chocolate is traditionally made using milk or dark chocolate, but for a tasty alternative, try this delicious recipe for a homemade white hot chocolate mix. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. Our no-fuss powder mix can be stored in the refrigerator until you need it, then mixed with hot milk, like cocoa powder, for an indulgent chocolate treat.
White hot chocolate: Ingredients for the Mix
To make approximately 6 servings of white hot chocolate mix, you will need:
- 6 cups white chocolate (you can use chocolate disks, or a bar cut into small pieces)
- 3 x 3oz packets of white chocolate pudding mix
- 4 tsp vanilla powder
To serve, you will need:
- ¼ cup whole milk per serving
- Your topping of choice. We recommend whipped cream, marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles.
White Hot chocolate: Steps to make it
- Freeze the chocolate beforehand. This makes it easier to mix without melting and forming clumps.
- Mix the chocolate, pudding mix and vanilla powder together in a blender until you have a fine powder.
- Divide into six portions and store in a refrigerator until you need it.
- When you’re ready to serve your hot chocolate, slowly heat the milk in a saucepan until steam begins to rise from it. Don’t bring to the boil, as this can impair the flavour.
- Tip a portion of white hot chocolate mix into a mug, pour over the hot milk and stir until dissolved.
- Top with a generous whirl of whipped cream, add some marshmallows and finish off with a dusting of sprinkles.
White hot chocolate: recipe variations
This recipe can easily be adapted to make a spiced pumpkin white hot chocolate. All you need to do is swap 2 tsp of vanilla powder for 1tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg and a pinch of salt when making the powder, and when serving add ¼ cup canned pumpkin purée per serving to the milk, stirring through as you warm it. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for crisp autumn days.
You also can try adding some peppermint extract, or using freeze-dried strawberries to turn the milk pink. As for toppings, the only limit is your imagination. You can add shaved chocolate, decorate with candy canes, or drizzle with raspberry or caramel syrups.
For a grown-up version, try spiking your white hot chocolate with a glug of your favourite booze, and swapping the sprinkles for a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg. This works particularly well with warming brandy or bourbon, or something sweet like Baileys, Amaretto or Kahlua. If you want to try something special for Christmas, add a drop of eggnog and top the cream with gingerbread crumbs.
If you’re looking for a vegan version of the recipe, it can be tricky to make a powder mix, but the good news is that most vegan recipes couldn’t be simpler to make and enjoy on the spot. Try this quick and easy vegan white hot chocolate recipe, made using creamy coconut milk and cacao butter.
