It’s winter now, and one of the best winter experiences is a body- and soul-warming of fresh-made hot cocoa, especially if you’re outside or have just come in from the cold. Now, there’s really no such thing as bad hot cocoa, but there are ways to make it even better.
Check out some of these ideas for some insanely good hot cocoa!
Make It Mexican
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Mexican hot chocolate (chocolate caliente) requires a special chocolate called chocolate de mesa (“table chocolate”). It’s dark, with sugar added in and some cinnamon for spice. You can spice it up even more with a little chili powder (or more).
Or Try a Taste of Spain
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The Old Country is home to many great recipes for hot chocolate, and Spain has one of the best. It’s one of the densest cocoas, which is what really distinguishes it, and it comes in sweet and semisweet varieties.
Bombs Away!
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A lot of people had a lot of time on their hands in the winter of 2020 as they tried to stem the spread of the pandemic. Maybe that’s why hot chocolate bombs really got popular then. A bomb is two half-spheres of chocolate pressed together after you fill them with cocoa mix, sprinkes, and marshmallows.
Rated for Adults Only
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This is about hot chocolate! Where did you think we were going with this? For “adult” hot cocoa, just add a shot of peppermint schnapps to the mix. Topping it off with some whipped cream and/or shaved chocolate pieces makes a great finishing touch.
Speaking of Just for Adults…
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Maybe you want your adult hot chocolate to pack a little more punch. In that case, add some brandy or cognac to it. People do this all the time with coffee, and it works just as well with hot cocoa.
Not for Hansel and Gretel
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Hansel and Gretel nearly became a wicked hag’s supper when they couldn’t resist going inside a house made of gingerbread and candy. They’d probably like gingerbread cocoa, too, which includes gingerbread-flavored syrup. It’s not for them, though, because the recipe also calls for ginger vodka or spiced rum.
Who Doesn’t Love Unicorns?
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This starts with hot white chocolate and includes frosting, whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles. Don’t forget a straw for a finishing, theme-fulfilling touch. It’s perfect for a daughter’s unicorn-themed birthday party.
Mix It Up
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Make your own recipe; it’s easy. The basics are powdered milk, cocoa mix, and sugar. Then mix it with milk or water and add chips, sprinkles, and anything else you’d like in your own personal mix.
When in Paris…
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Do as the Parisians do. Okay, that’s actually about Rome, but bear with us. French hot cocoa uses both water and milk, and the preference is for semisweet chocolate. And you don’t have to go to Paris to get it.
An Oldie but Goodie
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Sometimes the old-fashioned way of doing things is the right way. As the milk warms, you melt unsweetned chocolate into it. Add some vanilla and sugar as well. The end result is wonderfully creamy.
Put It on Ice
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Wait, why on earth would you want to put ice in hot chocolate? How about if it’s warm, but you still have a craving for cocoa? This is a popular coffee option, so why not for cocoa, too? You can store it cold, and you can also make chocolate ice cubes that won’t water the drink down as they melt.
Freeze It? Really?
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You can actually get this in some restaurants and ice cream parlors, so it’s not a totally insane idea. Make it on your own with a blender and cocoa mix, milk, chocolate syrup, and ice cubes. Whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top complete this treat.
12 Foods To NEVER Eat After They Expire (Throw Them Away Immediately)
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The “Sell by” date on food packaging tells how long the food can stay on shelves, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s when it expires. On the other hand, the “Best by” or “Use by” date is something to really pay attention to.
Some foods can be fine well past that date, but others don’t, and consuming them can lead to food poisoning, a trip to the hospital, or worse. Following are some foods you should never consume after they expire.
12 Foods To NEVER Eat After They Expire (Throw Them Away Immediately)
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