Featured Recipe
Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix
By Kate
"
Dry mix for hot chocolate, yields about 14 servings. Uses powdered coconut milk and brown sugar instead of milk powder and white sugar. Added cinnamon and pinch of cayenne for warmth and complexity. Cocoa and bittersweet dark chocolate provide richness. Cornstarch thickens the drink just right. Keeps in airtight container up to 2 months. Reheat milk, whisk in the mix until glossy, thickened, and steaming. Optional garnish ideas, raspberry marshmallows suggested. Practical tips on texture, substitutions, and doneness cues included.
"
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
10 min
Total:
25 min
Serves:
14 servings
hot chocolate
coconut milk
spices
winter drink
Introduction
Ditch the pre-packaged sachets loaded with emulsifiers. Make your own hot chocolate blend – control the sweetness, tweak the mouthfeel. Coconut milk powder adds a subtle creaminess and richness missing in skim milk powder. Brown sugar gives a touch of molasses warmth, not just straight sweetness. Cinnamon and cayenne? They punch up the flavor, wake up the cocoa’s natural bitterness. Dark chocolate chunks melted in the final drink give texture and depth. Blending the mix finely helps everything dissolve evenly in heated milk. No lumps or chalky bits. When warming, watch for steam and small bubbles—not boiling, or milk will scorch and taste flat. Stir vigorously as you add the dry mix for full incorporation. A glossy sheen signals readiness. Easy to store, flexible to tweak, and gets you through quick cocoa fixes with flair and minimal fuss.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Powdered coconut milk replaces dairy powder for fuller fat, richer taste and creamier body. You can swap in dry oat milk powder, but texture will be grittier due to fiber. Brown sugar is less refined; if unavailable, maple sugar or coconut sugar works too but slightly alters flavor. Use Dutch-process cocoa for smoother, less acidic notes; natural cocoa tends to be more sharp and can affect taste. Bittersweet chocolate at 70% or more cuts through sweetness and maintains character. Cornstarch is crucial: thickens hot chocolate without the graininess starch flours can introduce. Cinnamon and cayenne add complexity and balance bitterness and sugar—optional but recommended.
Method
Technique Tips
Blending dry mix ensures chocolate pieces break down sufficiently to dissolve when whisked into milk, preventing grainy texture. Chop chocolate unevenly but not too large—too big and it won’t melt through well, too small will blend to powder, making mix less interesting visually. Heating milk is key: stop just before full boil to avoid scorch and skin formation. Whisk while adding mix to prevent lumps, stirring until liquid thickens and sheen appears—coating your spoon, gentle trails in the liquid indicate proper texture. Use a pre-warmed mug to keep drink hot longer. If mix settles at bottom or feels powdery after whisking, heat milk slower and whisk more vigorously. Marshmallows or topping give balance and sensory contrast—try spiced versions or freeze-dried fruit pieces for a twist.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use powered coconut milk for creaminess. Swap it with oat milk powder if coconut not available. Texture might be gritty, fiber plays. Brown sugar adds depth. Substitute with maple sugar or coconut sugar for different notes.
- 💡 Chop bittersweet chocolate unevenly, chunks to melt in cocoa mix. Too large won’t dissolve; too small blends into powder. Blending dry mix integrates smoothly. Get it powdery but see chocolate bits. This visual impact matters.
- 💡 Heat milk gently, stop just before bubbling, monitor edges. This prevents scorching and skin formation on milk. Stir as you add dry mix; whiskers integrated smoothly. Glossy sheen shows readiness. No lumps; stir until thickened.
- 💡 Pre-warm your mug; it keeps cocoa hot longer. Pour into mug immediately; that heat matters. Toppings can vary, spice it, raspberry marshmallows or dust cocoa for another flavor layer. Lots of sensory action.
- 💡 Watch for texture issues; gritty may signal low-fat milk or inadequate blending. Slow the heating. Blend longer if needed. Adjust sugar—10-20 grams reduction if sweetness troubles you. Kick up depth with spices.
