What to make for the Death by Chocolate Blog Hop, hosted by The Hungry Australian.
Thinking… a decadent chocolate cake or some fudgy brownies, what about chocolate pots, or maybe a rich chocolate mousse. The list is endless when chocolate is the subject and in the end, decided on “Real Hot Chocolate”… a fix of liquid chocolate in a mug. Good quality chocolate and cocoa percentage is the defining factor for flavour and intensity and it’s all a matter of taste.
Real Hot Chocolate with a Hint of Cinnamon
Ingredients:
- 200g good quality dark chocolate (around 50% to 60% cocoa solids)
- 600ml whole fresh milk
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk
- 4 cinnamon sticks
How to make:
With a sharp knife chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a heat-proof bowl.
Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan and with a whisk blend in the powdered milk. Place the saucepan on medium heat and bring the milk to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the boiling milk over the chopped chocolate. Use the whisk to stir continuously until the milk and chocolate combine completely.
Pour the hot chocolate into cups or small mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick. Using cinnamon sticks to stir the hot chocolate with will impart a slight cinnamon taste.
The Cocoa Bean Pod… the beginning of all our chocolate addictions.
Try different types of chocolate, milk, dark, or even white. Chocolate with chilli or flavoured with orange could also be used. Using chocolate with 70% to 90% cocoa solids will need sweetening with sugar, unless you enjoy the taste of bitter chocolate.
Food and Tools 
How amazing is that photo of a cocoa bean? I saw the flowers whilst in Peru and they were tiny, I cannot believe they turn into something so big and delicious!
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Yes, the cocoa bean is amazing and it was fantastic to have seen one for real, I was in Bali at the time… we owe the cocoa bean so much!
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Hot chocolate has to be one of my favorites and using real chocolate makes it even more delicious. I like sweeter chocolate and I am not a great fan of dark chocolate, at least you can adapt this recipe to suit your own taste. Might try chili chocolate as one of your suggestions. Love the photo and the cocoa bean!
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Oh yum, hot chocoloate is a favourite indulgence of mine.
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Definitely one of mine!
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I can’t resist a hot chocolate with cinnamon in it 🙂 Nice!
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I do love a ‘real’ hot chocolate! Thanks for joining us 🙂
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Once called the “food of gods”, the seeds used as currency, controversial in Origin, this amazing drink was loved as much by an Aztec Ruler as it is by anyone of us today! A true chocoholic can give anything away, except the last morsel of chocolate! Now don’t touch my delicious cup of Hot Chocolate made by Moya!
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Glad we do not have to use the seeds as a currency anymore as we would have to give so much away… ! God Bless the Aztecs and Mayans, also not forgetting the Spanish for adding the sugar! Thanks for the info Carolina 🙂
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Simple and easy hot chocolate! Thanks for sharing! And yes, we do owe it to the grand ol’ cacao bean!
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Yum. I love hot chocolate! Thanks for sharing!
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Hello there… now that is a REAL chocolate indulgence!. Lovely blog too.
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Real hot chocolate is the perfect comforting indulgence!!! I love that photo of the cocoa bean!
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Love it. I’ve got a bunch of dark chocolate in my pantry so I’ll give it a go.
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Yum! This looks really good – perfect for that time in the late evening when I can’t decide whether to make noodles or to eat something sweet. Will definitely give this a go!
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Oh, boy…a real treat when you need a chocolate fix!! If we get a big snow, I’m going to treat my family to your delicious hot chocolate 🙂
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I love a good hot chocolate as much as the next girl. Yours looks fab! I like the idea of stirring with the cinnamon stick, have you ever tried infusing the cinnamon when cooking? I wonder if that would be too cinnamony?
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Yes, I love to infuse the flavor of cinnamon into my cooking. As cinnamon works well with both savoury and sweet dishes I always have plenty stocked in the store cupboard. Stirring the hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick adds a hint of flavor but you could also infuse a cinnamon stick with the hot milk (when making hot chocolate) for about 15 minutes or until desired taste. Just keep in mind, if the flavor of the cinnamon is very strong it will overpower the flavor of the chocolate. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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