r/HotChocolate

My friends and I had the pretty, decadent hot chocolate after a hilly and windswept walk in Edinburgh one afternoon last year. There was something about that drink that I can't quite forget, maybe it was because the weather was so chilly, or that I was craving sugar. Either way, I haven't been able to replicate the decadent taste at home. I thought I'd share this because I'm missing hot chocolate in Edinburgh specifically, haha. A trip I won't forget!

Servings: 4

Ingredients

- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups milk, (any)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 120 ml of Irish cream liqueur

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat. Heat this chocolate base mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth.
2. When it simmers, reduce the heat, pour the milk, and continue stirring as it heats up and you see steam surface. Do not let it boil.
3. Turn off the heat, add the vanilla, and mix.
4. (Optional) froth using an espresso machine or frother
5. Add 30 ml of Irish cream liqueur per serve

Packed with dehydrated mini marshmallows underneath the whip cream layer. I make this every year late fall through the winter. I use whatever hot chocolate pouches on hand, canned whip cream, dehydrated mini marshmallows (optional: freeze before assembly so they dont dissolve too fast) crushed candy canes, and the top part of the candy canes. If I did not have chocolate powder on hand I would just melt chocolate candy into some milk. I am a white chocolate fan so I enjoy doing this with white chocolate candies. The cups in this photo were made from swiss miss pouches. I love making this for my family , along with butter popcorn and cookies around the holidays. Have a great day.