When outside, the first frosts begin to scratch the windows and you find it difficult to warm up after returning home, it’s time to pull out the pot and make something that really warms you to the tips of your fingers. Spicy hot chocolate is the kind of drink that hugs you like a warm blanket and adds a little fiery twist.
When it gets cold outside, it’s time to get dressed and feel the warmth spreading to your fingertips. And if you like more pronounced flavors, just add a small pinch of chili and the ordinary winter drink suddenly becomes a small ritual. Spicy chocolate is nothing new, in Latin America they drank it like this long before us, it works perfectly in winter. Gentle sweetness, dense texture and subtle shimmer of chilli on the tongue. Just the kind of warm-up that comes in handy after returning from a chilly day sledding with the kids.
On video fromKatka My Irish Life with a recipe for thick hot chocolate, check it out on YouTube:
When sweetness and heat combine
Chilli hot chocolate is not just ordinary chocolate with a sharp point. Done right, it has depth, from to the gradual warmth that develops after swallowing. Chilli should not be aggressive here, but should lift the chocolate, highlight its taste and heat it from the inside.
“Quality chocolate with a higher proportion of cocoa works best. Dark chocolate gives the drink intensity, milk gives it creaminess. The result can be different every time and it’s worth playing with the proportions,” advises chef David Šlapák.
Why is the spicy version so popular?
The burning component has the ability to stir the blood and induce a feeling of pleasant warmth. This is just right in the winter. It works similarly to ginger tea or welder, but compared to them, spicy hot chocolate is smoother, more playful and a little sinful. And exactly such small sins belong to Advent.
Spicy Hot Chocolate Recipe
Raw materials:
- 500 ml of whole milk
- 120 g of high-quality dark or milk chocolate
- 1 spoon of cocoa
- 1 small pinch of ground chili
- 1 tablespoon of cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- whipped cream or milk foam for decoration
Procedure:
In a small saucepan, begin to slowly heat the milk, but do not let it boil. Add cocoa and cane sugar, mix well with a whisk so that no lumps float in it. Add the broken chocolate to the hot milk and stir until completely melted and a smooth, silky drink is formed. Now it’s chili time. Start with a really small pinch, mix and taste. The taste develops gradually, so not to overdo it, is the basis. Finally, add vanilla extract, which softens the chocolate beautifully. Serve hot, ideally in tall mugs. You can decorate with whipped cream, sprinkle with cocoa or add a small piece of chocolate on top.
When you want to try something extra
Cinnamon also goes well with hot chocolate, you can replace chili with cayenne pepper and those who like a thicker consistency can replace part of the milk with cream. And if you want to treat yourself to a really Advent version, add two teaspoons of gingerbread spice, it will create a taste that resembles candy.
Spicy hot chocolate is the real winter reward. It warms, pleases and at the same time is surprisingly simple. Just a few ingredients and it’s ready in ten minutes. Maybe it will even become your new winter habit, a small ritual without which you will no longer want to imagine December evenings.
