And almost as good as the sweet stuff itself is the ceremony around it. There’s the all-important selection of the right mug, perhaps the deployment of an appliance devoted entirely to the pursuit of velvety chocolate, the decisions around whether to embellish or not to embellish. Cream, cinnamon, chilli, marshmallows – possibly something stronger once the children are in bed; the possibilities are endless. With hot chocolate season officially in swing (yes, consider this us calling it), we’ve found 15 ways to make yours better.
The Chocolate
1. Start With Really Good Hot Chocolate
Harth Original Hot Chocolate, £8.95
Somerset-made Harth gives us all the thick, Swiss-style hot chocolate made with natural, unalkalised cocoa that we could ever conceivably want. There are also cinnamon, ginger and smoky chilli flavour options for when you’re feeling fancy.
2. Go Dark
Pump Street Ecuador 85% Drinking Chocolate, £16.50
For those who prefer to take their hot chocolate on the more grown-up (read: less sweet) side, Pump Street’s 85 per cent version is made with single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate. Deep, dark and intensely chocolatey, it’s the one to reach for when making a more child-tempting marshmallow mountain cup is not on the agenda.
3. Try Something Flavoured
Whittard Gingerbread Hot Chocolate, £12.95
If plain chocolate feels a little restrained once the pizzazz-fest that is Christmas is on the horizon, Whittard’s gingerbread version brings the requisite festive cheer. Sweetly spiced and unapologetically cosy, it’s basically a gingerbread biscuit in liquid form (cue Hansel & Gretel vibes).
4. Keep An Everyday One In The Cupboard
Green & Black Organic Hot Chocolate, £6
Green & Black’s organic version makes a very dependable cupboard stalwart for days when you just need a quick hit of the hot, sweet stuff. It feels treat-y, yet it’s not so fancy you can’t justify rustling it up as a random Tuesday afternoon pick-me-up. A couple of biscuits on the side and it makes perfect blustery afternoon on the sofa fare.
5. Good Enough To Give
Fortnum & Mason Ultimate Milk Hot Chocolate, £22
Fortnum’s Ultimate Milk Hot Chocolate is made from finely flaked milk chocolate rather than cocoa powder, producing a properly rich, smooth cup – and the handsome packaging makes it an easy win as a gift for hosts, teachers or anyone else deserving of something delicious.
6. For The Little Ones
Bonjour Kids Hot Chocolate, £21.60
Arguably all hot choc is pretty child friendly. But Bonjour’s version is lower in sugar and made with a short list of ingredients, while still delivering the chocolatey hit small people want. Perfect for swerving the sugar-bomb variety.
The Kit
7. Let A Velvetiser Do The Work
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, £119.95
Hotel Chocolat’s latest iteration of its velvetiser makes both hot and cold drinking chocolate, using a specially designed whisk to meld chocolate and milk into something smooth and, well, velvety. It’s expensive, but if hot chocolate is a regular fixture in your house, its smoothing power is pretty persuasive.
8. Try The Rival
Dualit Cocoatiser, £84.99
For those reluctant to pledge allegiance to the Velvetiser, Dualit’s Cocoatiser makes for a handsome alternative. Designed to work with chocolate flakes, buttons or powder as well as frothing milk for coffee, there’s no need to buy into a particular brand of chocolate.
9. Do It For Less
Salter The Chocolatier, £34.99
If spending north of £100 on a machine devoted largely to chocolate feels a little, well, bonkers, Salter has the answer. The Chocolatier costs £34.99, makes a smooth cup in under five minutes, and doubles as a milk frother for coffees and cold drinks. Its 240ml capacity is ample for one generous mug, making this a convincing budget buy.
The Mugs
10. Go Artisan
Shannon Bartlett-Smith Mug, £35
A good hot chocolate is deserving of a suitably lovely vessel. Made by London-based ceramicist Shannon Bartlett-Smith, this hand-painted stoneware mug has just the right amount of wonkiness and tactility – we can just see it in our future, filled with thick, rich molten choc. We love.
11. Supersize It
Etsy Extra Large Coffee Mug 560ml, £74.99
Sometimes a normal-sized mug simply isn’t going to cut it. This whopping handmade ceramic number holds 560ml – more than a pint – rendering your hot chocolate practically a whole evening’s entertainment. Fill generously, add marshmallows and then, er, cancel your plans.
12. Go Small And Continental
Gisela Graham Ceramic Mini Mug with Robin, £7.49
At the opposite end of the scale, there is something chic about drinking a small quantity of exceptionally good hot chocolate from an equally diminutive cup. This sweet robin number has festive charm in spades. Make the chocolate thick, dark and European-style and serve in modest quantities – seconds are, naturally, encouraged.
The Recipes
13. Add Chilli
BBC Good Food Chilli-Spiked Hot Chocolate
Chocolate and chilli are old friends for good reason. This version adds cinnamon and a pinch of chilli powder to dark chocolate for a cup that starts out sweet and ends with a pleasing little kick. Whipped cream on top is not strictly essential, but we see little reason to exercise restraint here.
Get the recipe.
14. Make It Like It’s 1747
Tasting History Spiced Hot Chocolate
Long before the sachet of instant powder arrived, hot chocolate was a somewhat more serious business. This recipe takes its cue from Hannah Glasse’s 1747 The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, combining cacao nibs with cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla. Spiced and theatrical, it’s one to make when you have a little time on your hands.
Get the recipe.
15. Make The Ultimate Luxury Version
Olive Luxury Hot Chocolate
If you’re going to make hot chocolate, you may as well do it properly. Olive’s unabashedly luxurious version involves both milk and dark chocolate, cream and a crown of whipped cream and marshmallows. We have nothing to add.
Get the recipe.
16. Make It Grown-Up
Sainsbury’s Amaretto Hot Chocolate
Once the children are in bed, hot chocolate can take a distinctly more grown-up turn. Dark rum is excellent with cinnamon; whisky brings warmth without too much sweetness; while amaretto turns the whole thing into something perilously close to liquid pudding. Start with a small measure and stir it through a good dark hot chocolate.
Get the recipe.
Hot Chocolate
What is the best chocolate to use for hot chocolate?
For a really rich hot chocolate, look for a good-quality drinking chocolate with a high cocoa content, or use finely chopped real chocolate or chocolate flakes. Dark chocolate creates a more intense, less sweet drink, while milk chocolate gives a softer, creamier result.
Is drinking chocolate the same as cocoa powder?
Not quite. Cocoa powder is generally unsweetened and made from cocoa solids, while drinking chocolate usually contains cocoa alongside sugar and sometimes other ingredients. Some luxury drinking chocolates use flakes of real chocolate instead, which melt into the milk for a particularly rich result.
How do you make hot chocolate taste better?
Start with good chocolate and whole milk, then experiment with additions such as cinnamon, vanilla, chilli or a pinch of sea salt. Whipped cream and marshmallows are classics, while adults can add a splash of rum, whisky or amaretto.
Do you need a Velvetiser to make good hot chocolate?
No. You can make excellent hot chocolate in a saucepan with a whisk. However, dedicated hot-chocolate makers such as the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, Dualit Cocoatiser and Salter Chocolatier heat and whisk the ingredients at the same time, making it easier to achieve a consistently smooth, frothy texture.
Can you make hot chocolate with plant-based milk?
Yes. Oat milk is particularly good for hot chocolate thanks to its naturally creamy texture, while almond, coconut and soya milk all work too. Choose an unsweetened version if your drinking chocolate already contains plenty of sugar.
What alcohol goes well with hot chocolate?
Dark or spiced rum, whisky, brandy and amaretto all work beautifully. Rum is particularly good with cinnamon or chilli, while amaretto pairs naturally with dark chocolate for an indulgent after-dinner drink
