Hot Cocoa Mix
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
FMM: I read in other recipes that the cornstarch is there to give the hot cocoa a creamier consistency. The salt enhances the sweetness of the mix while bringing out more chocolate flavor.
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
[omit for regular cocoa mix]
Hot water
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.
Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry. This also works great with warm milk.
Yield: 5 1/2 cups dry mix
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
from https://www.melskitchencafe.com/
White chocolate works in this homemade hot chocolate mix, because when finely ground with the other ingredients, it adds a fantastic creaminess to the hot chocolate. The key is to get the white chocolate processed as finely as possible.
3 cups (405 g) dry nonfat or whole milk powder (see note)
2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups (128 g) cocoa powder, dutch-process or natural unsweetened (see note)
1 1/2 cups (255 g) finely chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips (see note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Working in two (or more) batches, depending on the size of your food processor, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Store the dry mix in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (If your food processor is large enough, ditch using an extra bowl and throw all the ingredients in the food processor at once.)
To make hot cocoa, put 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk or almond milk (water works ok but the hot chocolate isn’t as creamy or flavorful). Top with whipped cream or miniature marshmallows, if desired.
This mix works best with milk (dairy or non-dairy milk). Water can work in a pinch, but the hot chocolate isn’t nearly as creamy, and it lacks depth and flavor.
Makes 20 cups of hot chocolate
Cocoa Syrup
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
In a small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles. Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk or serve on your favorite ice cream. And, hey, it's fat free!
Yield: 5 cups
Hot Cocoa Mix
from https://iambaker.net/
FMM: This is a fairly standard recipe found on the Internet.
2 cups (250 g) confectioners' sugar
1 cup (118 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 ½ cups (250 g) powdered milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving
mini marshmallows, optional
hot water (or milk)
In a large mixing bowl, add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together to combine.
Store the mixture in an airtight container for up to a year. This will make 4 1/2 cups of hot cocoa mix, or enough for about 18 cups of hot cocoa.
Making a Cup of Hot Cocoa
When making a cup of hot cocoa, use about 1/4 of a cup of powder per cup of hot water or milk, or adjust to taste preference. Both hot water and hot milk are delicious when added. Try adding hot coffee or even chocolate milk as additional options.
Top the powder with 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows if adding.
Pour hot liquid over the cocoa powder, stirring until the powder has dissolved. Enjoy!
Makes about 18 cups of hot cocoa
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
by Stella Parks
The starchiness and solubility of Dutch cocoa powder give flavor and body to hot chocolate, while the cocoa butter in melted chocolate creates a more luxurious mouthfeel. Instead of reaching for Dutch cocoa powder or dark chocolate alone, my hot chocolate draws on the strength of both, and then goes a step further by adding good-quality white chocolate for an extra dose of cocoa butter, dairy solids, and vanilla to give the hot chocolate more richness, aroma, and body.
What truly sets my recipe apart, however, is my favorite ingredient: toasted sugar. It's a type of light caramel that dissolves more readily in hot liquids than plain white sugar and tastes less sweet. It also brings some nice caramel notes into play, adding a layer of familiar but complex flavor to the drink, while keeping the powdered format.
If you like, each mug of cocoa can be doctored with a drop or two of vanilla extract to taste. Or, after processing, the mix can be stored in an airtight container along with a split vanilla bean (preferably one left over from another project, as a simple cocoa mix would not be the most effective use of a brand-new vanilla bean, given its expense).
6 ounces moderately toasted sugar (about 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons; 170g)
5 ounces white chocolate, 30 to 35% cocoa butter (about 3/4 cup, finely chopped; 140g)
4 ounces dark chocolate, 75 to 80% cocoa solids (about 2/3 cup, finely chopped; 115g)
3 ounces Cacao Barry Extra Brute (about 1 cup; 85g)
2 ounces malted milk powder, such as Carnation or Hoosier Hill Farm (about 1/2 cup; 55g)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, not ground coffee, such as King Arthur
1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
1/2 teaspoon pure, ground vanilla bean powder, such as Heilala, or 1 leftover vanilla pod; (see note for more details)
In the bowl of a food processor, combine toasted sugar, white chocolate, dark chocolate, Dutch cocoa, malted milk powder, instant espresso, salt, and vanilla powder (if using). Pulse until chocolate is fully ground and mixture looks powdery and dry. Transfer to an airtight container and add the leftover vanilla bean pod (if using). Store at cool room temperature up until the date stamped on the package of white chocolate.
To use, stir about 1 ounce (2 tablespoons; 28g) of the mix into 6 ounces hot milk. Season to taste with additional salt or vanilla, and serve hot.
While it doesn't need dressing up, you can finish it off with a dollop of whipped cream, a pair of marshmallows, or a generous splash of booze—it's your call.
When preparing hot cocoa for a crowd, the easiest method is to heat up a saucepan of milk on the stove (about six ounces per serving). Once the milk comes to a simmer, add the hot cocoa mix. I use about one ounce per serving along with 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract, but those amounts can be adjusted to taste (along with any additional salt). Once the cocoa has dissolved, keep whisking until frothy and very hot, though not quite boiling. Ladle the cocoa into mugs, or pour directly from the saucepan if the batch size is manageable.
20 servings
Notes
- In place of ground vanilla powder or a vanilla bean, the hot chocolate mix can be flavored with vanilla extract added along with the milk. Start with about 1/8 teaspoon per mug, and adjust to taste.
- Make-Ahead and Storage In an airtight container, the hot chocolate mix will keep at cool room temperature until the date stamped on the package of white chocolate.
