Spiced Hot Chocolate
This silky smooth hot chocolate recipe relies on a combination of three chocolate types, delicately infused with a concoction of the aromatic trio of black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. The result is a creamy, smooth, fragrant drink that you’ll keep returning for more. Avoid using whole milk to make this drink; it acquires its velvety, luscious texture from the fat present in the chocolate.
- Yield: 2
Ingredients
2 cups/480 ml low-fat milk
2 whole cinnamon sticks
2 whole green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns, lightly cracked
1 3/4 oz/50 g 40% milk chocolate
1 3/4 oz/50 g 60% dark chocolate
1 3/4 oz/50 g 80 to 100% dark chocolate
Instructions
- Heat the milk with the cinnamon, cardamom, and black peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium-high until it starts to boil; remove from heat, and let sit covered for 30 minutes to let the spices infuse.
- Place the chocolate in a heat-proof medium mixing bowl. Heat the milk over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat. Set a fine mesh strainer over the bowl with chocolate and pour half of the hot milk. Whisk the chocolate until melted and combined. Add and strain the remaining milk over the chocolate and whisk until combined and smooth. Discard the spices in the strainers.
- You shouldn’t need to add any sugar but taste and sweeten if needed. Reheat the chocolate if needed and serve hot.
Notes
- The flavor of the spices in this recipe is meant to be gentle rather than intense. The recipe utilizes whole and lightly cracked spices over ground to achieve that effect.
- If you can get your hands on aromatic black peppercorns like tellicherry, try them here.
