Home made Hot Chocolate

[Mesquite]

I've had a search on the forum for anything about making your own hot chocolate drink but couldn't see anything

Thanks go to Wayland for the idea and and extremely simple recipe

First of all get some cocoa powder, I used Green & Blacks Organic

and add 25 grames of that to 90 grammes of coffee whitener giving a ratio of about 1 to 3.5. I then give it a good mix and put it through a fine mesh kitchen sieve to help break up all the small lumps of cocoa powder and then mix it again. Best way I've found for mixing is to put it all in a large container and give it a good shake. Do make sure the lid is properly secured or you might have some mess to clean up afterwards

I'm still playing about with the exact ratios for my own personal taste. To make the actual drink I use 3 heaped teaspoons of the mix and I add 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar for sweetness as well.

As I said it's very simple to make and you can blend it to your exact taste. Someone, who shall remain nameless , told me his mix of chocolate and whitener is the opposite to mine... 3 cocoa powder to 1 whitener :yikes:

 

[blacktimberwolf]

A bar of milk chocolate broken up into a cup then pour on hot water works too & if you want something a little more luxurious, then a bar of dark chocolate with hot milk poured over it......

 

[ateallthepies]

I love hot chocolate so will give this a go!

On a similar thought I'm also experimenting with combinations of skimmed milk powder and coffee mate to try and make a passable milk.

Steve.

 

[Wayland]

I just make it with spoon ratios.

For me it's one spoon cocoa to four spoons coffee whitener. Then I add sugar separately to taste.

I use coffee whitener because it has a high fat content, which is good for cold conditions, but I guess if you wanted tasteless, "good for you" stuff, you could use skimmed milk powder.

 

[Large Sack]

Pan of 50% milk 50% cream...warm until hot but don't boil...then add a large bar of your favourite chocolate either plain (for all you bitter and twisted types )or milk (my fave is Galaxy). Add a pinch of salt (the salt is the secret ingredient...really brings all the flavour out of the chocolate). Add sugar to taste.
Not exactly bushcraft friendly recipe but delicious.
Cheers
Sack

 

[shaggystu]

Pan of 50% milk 50% cream...warm until hot but don't boil...then add a large bar of your favourite chocolate either plain (for all you bitter and twisted types )or milk (my fave is Galaxy). Add a pinch of salt (the salt is the secret ingredient...really brings all the flavour out of the chocolate). Add sugar to taste.
Not exactly bushcraft friendly recipe but delicious.
Cheers
Sack

that's pretty much exactly how i go about it. you're spot on about the salt, wayland and debs introduced me to salted chocolate earlier on this year, it was a bit of a revelation to be honest, a very unexpected flavour sensation

stuart

 

[Large Sack]

that's pretty much exactly how i go about it. you're spot on about the salt, wayland and debs introduced me to salted chocolate earlier on this year, it was a bit of a revelation to be honest, a very unexpected flavour sensation

stuart

Stu

If you have ever visited Italy (or perhaps France) some cafes and restaurants will serve an espresso coffee in a cup washed with salted water and left to dry with a slight salt crust...so if like me you like your coffee strong and black but with sugar...it's awesome!
Sack

 

[rik_uk3]

Pinch of salt added to the coffee pot was very popular at one time, very common in France.

I don't mind 'instant' hot choc, but a good one is far better than the 'value' range stuff. I've not used cocoa for years to be honest but we used to mix with sweetened condensed milk into a paste before adding boiling water a few drops at a time to dissolve it then a top up.

All hot choc benefits from a good splash of cognac / brandy

 

[Large Sack]

we used to mix with sweetened condensed milk into a paste before adding boiling water a few drops at a time to dissolve it then a top up.

All hot choc benefits from a good splash of cognac / brandy

I like the sound of both of those Rik...one for the convenience...and the other for medicinal purposes
Sack

 

[shaggystu]

Stu

If you have ever visited Italy (or perhaps France) some cafes and restaurants will serve an espresso coffee in a cup washed with salted water and left to dry with a slight salt crust...so if like me you like your coffee strong and black but with sugar...it's awesome!
Sack

that's a new one on me. i do like my coffee strong, sweet and black though so might have to have a try at that sometime, can't wait for the look on SWMBT's face when i start adding salt to the washing up bowl!

stuart

 

[Large Sack]

that's a new one on me. i do like my coffee strong, sweet and black though so might have to have a try at that sometime, can't wait for the look on SWMBT's face when i start adding salt to the washing up bowl!

stuart

LOL...my wife would have an odd look on her face if I went anywhere near the washing up bowl full stop!

 

[Rod Paradise]

Pan of 50% milk 50% cream...warm until hot but don't boil...then add a large bar of your favourite chocolate either plain (for all you bitter and twisted types )or milk (my fave is Galaxy). Add a pinch of salt (the salt is the secret ingredient...really brings all the flavour out of the chocolate). Add sugar to taste.
Not exactly bushcraft friendly recipe but delicious.
Cheers
Sack

Thanks, will need to give that a try tonight - got myself a milk frother last year & that recipe sounds made for it....

 

[shaggystu]

LOL...my wife would have an odd look on her face if I went anywhere near the washing up bowl full stop!

my other half isn't often allowed in the kitchen, when she does cook it's all al dente pasta and a distinct lack of meat, i'd rather cook, see a good chunk of dead animal on my plate, and then do the washing up myself. i'm fairly sure that she's smarter than she lets on

 

[Mesquite]

my other half isn't often allowed in the kitchen, when she does cook it's all al dente pasta and a distinct lack of meat, i'd rather cook, see a good chunk of dead animal on my plate, and then do the washing up myself. i'm fairly sure that she's smarter than she lets on

Well she's smart enough to con you into the cooking and washing up Stu

 

[shaggystu]

Well she's smart enough to con you into the cooking and washing up Stu

mate it takes very little to con me into anything, the promise of no argument about what we're having for tea does it every time. bless her and her manipulative little schemes

stuart

 

[Large Sack]

mate it takes very little to con me into anything, the promise of no argument about what we're having for tea does it every time. bless her and her manipulative little schemes

stuart

LOL...Amen brother

Sack

 

[bilmo-p5]

I'm pretty much with Richard on this;

4-ish heaped teaspoons of cocoa, (this is a good one.)

A heavy dose of sweetened condensed milk - about ¼ fill the mug,

Mix until smooth,

Top off with boiling water &stir well.

 

[TurboGirl]

I'm with the 'bar of chocolate and milk' guys at home for sure.... a good glug of Baileys doesn't go amiss in it either and ma Eldest has perfected frothing it by microwaving milk in an old drinks bottle and shaking the bejeezuz out of it for on top... bit of nutmeg, delish =)

Gotta try your woods versions tho, soungs wonderful but I'll be adding some spices (chilli, ginger, cinammon or nutmeg) in too for winter camps

 

[Large Sack]

I'm with the 'bar of chocolate and milk' guys at home for sure.... a good glug of Baileys doesn't go amiss in it either and ma Eldest has perfected frothing it by microwaving milk in an old drinks bottle and shaking the bejeezuz out of it for on top... bit of nutmeg, delish =)

Gotta try your woods versions tho, soungs wonderful but I'll be adding some spices (chilli, ginger, cinammon or nutmeg) in too for winter camps

Oh Yeh...cinammon and chilli work for me too

 

[santaman2000]

When I was a kid there was no instant hot chocolate available (I don't know if it hadn't been invented yet OR if it just wasn't available down South) ALL hot chocolate was home made. I don't remember the exact proportions but the general recipe was:

Recipe 1 = Heat enough whole milk (we called it "sweet milk in the South back then) for ever how many servings you needed. Next add cocoa powder and sugar to taste.
Recipe 2 = Heat enough whole milk for ever how many servings you needed. Neat add chocolate syrup to taste.

It's common over here to top HC with marshmallows (preferably miniatures)

Lately I've taken to adding a dash of powdered cayenne pepper as well (in instant or home made HC) and foregoing the marshmallows.