Here are the ingredients you will need to make hot chocolate from scratch:
60% dark chocolate, corn starch, whole milk, heavy whipping cream, milk powder.
1. Make the whipped cream topping first: Measure out a cup of heavy cream, pour it into a medium mixing bowl, then put the bowl in the freezer.
CHEF’S TIP
Before you whip heavy cream, put it AND the bowl you’re going to whip it in into the freezer. It will be easier to whip and more delicious.
2. After 5 minutes, take the bowl out of the freezer and start vigorously whisking the cream with a large whisk.
Keep whisking, this will take several minutes.
Chef used THREE whisks at once to save time, but using one is just fine.
Three whisks will whip more air into the cream, more quickly. So, you’ll end up with fluffier whipped cream in less time, which is awesome.
3. Your cream is done when it holds soft peaks. Chef described its as having the texture of marshmallow fluff.
“Soft peaks” mean that when you take your whisk out, the whipped cream follows and forms a pointed “peak,” which then slowly collapses.
Refrigerate the bowl of whipped cream while you make the hot chocolate.
4. Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil over medium-high heat. (This will make 4 servings of hot chocolate.)
Note: This recipe makes VERY RICH, THICK hot chocolate. If you want it a little thinner, start with 3 cups of milk instead of two.
5. Meanwhile, measure out 50g (about 1/2 cup) milk powder and 3g (about 1 teaspoon) cornstarch.
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, the recipe gives approximate measurements for volume. But, volume can vary based on how finely your chocolate is chopped or how aerated your cornstarch and flour is. It is always more accurate to measure your ingredients by weight.
You can buy a basic kitchen scale here for $8.99.
6. Combine the milk powder and cornstarch in a small bowl, then whisk them together to combine.
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
7. Measure out 150g (about 3/4 cup, coarsely chopped) of 60% dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate from a bar.
8. By now, your milk should be boiling. Whisk it and turn the heat down to medium, to prevent it from bubbling over.
9. Add the chocolate all at once, whisking as you do it.
10. Keep whisking! As the chocolate melts, add the cornstarch/milk powder mixture, still whisking.
11. Once the cornstarch and milk powder have dissolved and the chocolate is entirely melted, your hot chocolate will look AWESOME but you’re not done yet…
12. Bring the hot chocolate to a boil. This makes for super velvety, flavorful hot chocolate. Turn off the heat as soon as it starts bubbling so that it doesn’t thicken too much.
CHEF’S TIP:
“You have to boil it twice. First you have to boil the milk, then boil the hot chocolate together. If you only boil it one time, it’s not smooth and the flavor is not developed.”
Chef likes his hot chocolate nappant, meaning thick enough that you can run your finger through it on the back of a spoon and the hot chocolate won’t bleed back into the trail of your finger.
NOTE: This hot chocolate is VERY rich. If you want thinner hot chocolate, start with 3 cups of milk instead of 2 cups.
13. Pour the hot chocolate immediately into four serving glasses.
14. Garnish each with a large spoonful of whipped cream.
OK, chef didn’t just dollop the whipped cream on top, he made a fancy quenelle. Because he is an award-winning pastry chef, he made it look very easy.
It’s actually not very easy, but if you’re feeling ambitious, here’s how to make a quenelle:
First, run a spoon under hot water so that the spoon is warm, then dry it thoroughly. Then, to make your quenelle:
1. Tilt the bowl of whipped cream away from you, and place your spoon on the bottom side of the bowl, pointing towards you.
2. Drag the spoon up through the cream, towards yourself. The cream will roll over the surface of your spoon, creating a smooth, football shaped spoonful of cream.
3. Pick the spoon up out of the cream, and gently spoon the quenelle onto the hot chocolate.
PERFECT.
Serve the hot chocolate immediately.
And don’t stress about that quenelle. Just spoon the whipped cream on however you like…
…because the end result will be a delicious mess of chocolate and cream, no matter what.
