Hot chocolate in a cup recipe

Total: 20 min Diners: 4

Who has never had a cup of hot chocolate so typical in Spain? It is true that many times the experience has been quite disappointing if what you were looking for was a strong chocolate flavor and little thickener in between – which is usually the tonic – but the solution has come with this infallible recipe for hot chocolate in a cup, like the one I remember from the Valor coffee shops that I have always liked so much, the one that Paco Torreblanca sold in bottles with his splendid panettones or that new hot chocolate with red wine that became so fashionable a few years ago.

Making hot chocolate at home is much simpler than you might think and actually does not involve much more work than the insipid industrial preparations to which you only add milk with a rather bland result. The difference between hot chocolate and hot chocolate basically lies in the cornstarch used to thicken the latter, which is denser than the former being the one we traditionally remember for churros or croutons.

How to make hot chocolate

9 photos

How to make hot chocolate

9 photos

Hot chocolate a la taza, recipe with step-by-step photos

Clara Villalón

Ingredients

. Dark chocolate for melting 70%, 250 g Whole milk, 1 liter Cornstarch cornstarch, 20 g Pure cocoa powder, 15 g Sugar, 2 tablespoons Ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Curry powder, a pinch Grated zest of 1 orange Whipping cream, 200 ml Powdered sugar, 60 g

Step 1

To melt the chocolate well, it is always advisable to chop it as finely as possible, carefully on a board that does not move with a sharp knife. We could also introduce it in a grinder and give it a few quick machine strokes, to make powder.

Step 2

In a glass put four tablespoons of milk and mix with the cornstarch until you get a homogeneous liquid without lumps.

Step 3

Place the chocolate in a saucepan with the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with the help of a whisk as the chocolate will go to the bottom and we do not want it to stick.

Step 4

When the chocolate has melted completely, add the cocoa previously mixed with the sugar – which will help to avoid lumps – and stir well, adding the cornstarch mixture with the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly so that no lumps are formed and it does not stick to the bottom.

Step 5

Add the spices and continue stirring until the hot chocolate reaches the desired consistency. The more we cook, the denser it will be. Be careful because as soon as it cools slightly it takes even more consistency.

Step 6

Whip the cream, which must be very cold, with the help of a whisk (preferably electric to make it easier). When the cream is semi-whipped, which already has consistency, add the powdered sugar little by little until it is very firm. Be careful not to over beat because it would become butter the preparation.

Step 7

Serve the hot chocolate optionally with a little whipped cream and on top a little grated chocolate or cocoa powder or the spice that everyone likes.

Tricks and suggestions

If we do not like very dark chocolate we can eliminate the cocoa or even add a chocolate to melt with a lower percentage of purity. We could also make a white hot chocolate using this variety of butter. Here we could investigate with other spices and aromatics such as vanilla, lemon, nutmeg or cloves.

We can prepare the hot chocolate in advance but I recommend that you do not leave it too thick because in that case in the refrigerator it will become a very solid paste. If this happens to you, you can always add a little more hot milk and melt it well, always mixing with a stirring rod that will help you to avoid lumps. Next to your hot chocolate you can always prepare some churros, some pancakes, or some easy waffles.