Ideal comfort for the cold and gloomy afternoons of winter, the chocolate hot in the cup is a drink that has come down to us thanks to the first explorers of the Americas, who brought the cocoa plant to Europe. It seems that the entire court of Montezuma consumed 2,000 cups of this drink a day, 50 of which were drunk by the emperor himself. Which is roughly equivalent to one cup every half hour.
Today the hot chocolate in the cup is synonymous with snack, perhaps accompanied by bread butter and jam, but also comfort food, that food that can pull us up in the most difficult moments of the day. But preparing a thick mixture, creamy at the right point and not too sweet is not easy: here how to make hot chocolate in the cup in a perfect way.
How to make a thick hot chocolate
Jacques Torres is a French pastry chef better known with the nickname "Mr. Choccolate". In fact, he was the first to create his own hot chocolate starting from cocoa beans. For the master confectioner the secret of an impeccable chocolate is cooking in two steps.
Torres recommends before bringing the mixture of milk and cream to the point of boiling (but do not boil them, because otherwise the consistency changes) and then pour them on the chocolate flakes placed in another saucepan. At this point bring the two ingredients to the boil together, mixing them with the whisk: you will get a perfect cup in a thick, creamy and homogeneous cup, in a perfect amalgam of flavors.
How to make it with dark chocolate or white chocolate
The procedure to create one hot chocolate cup it does not change if you choose to use flakes of fondant or White chocolate. In this way, by varying the raw material, you will be able to obtain an always different beverage.
How to make it with cocoa or preparations
The real hot chocolate in the cup needs the basis of authentic chocolate flakes. For purists there is no other raw material except milk and chocolate pieces. But there are also those who rely on cocoa powder or a get ready. Some say that in these cases only one is obtained chocolate milk, but some compounds also available at the supermarket can get to match the result of the original recipe.
To prepare one chocolate in the cup with bitter cocoa we will use cocoa powder, sugar, corn starch and milk. Heat the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. While the milk is heating up cocoa, sugar and cornstarch in a stainless steel, glass or ceramic bowl: mix the powders well until it is all blended.
Pour the hot milk into the wire bowl and mix to avoid lumps. Finally take the mixture and put it back in the pan, returning to heat everything on the stove. Bring to a boil on a light flame, stirring constantly. After the start of the boil lower the fire without stopping to mix until you reach the desired consistency.
How to do it without milk or with vegetable milk
To prepare one hot chocolate in perfect cup the main ingredient is the milk. The purists say that the perfect one to use is the skimmed milk because the fat of that whole would overwhelm the intensity of the chocolate. In reality it is a matter of personal taste. There are those who use cream instead of milk, which, to calm the sense of guilt, creates a mixture of cream and milk.
For the lactose intolerant or who follows one vegan diet enjoy a cup of chocolate even without milk is possible. The important thing is to use for the liquid base of the almond vegetable milk you hate soy you hate rice. The variations on the market are not lacking. Mix cocoa and sugar (plus the spices you have chosen) in a container. Amalgamate the powders pouring a few tablespoons of vegetable milk. Coarsely chops dark chocolate.
Boil the vegetable milk. Switch off and add the powders: mix. Then pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and put the saucepan back on the stove, using a low flame for cooking. Never stop stirring to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the bottom.
How to make it without flour / starch / maize
Hot chocolate in the cup sometimes it may require a small one "correction": an addition of flour to obtain a higher density.Although the original recipe foresees only the presence of milk and chocolate, a pinch of starch or cornstarch (both alternatives to flour) can come to the rescue in case the drink is too much "slow." You can also use rice flour if you are gluten intolerant.
But not to use any thickener it is enough to get some good chocolate, some milk and work the mixture well following the double passage cooking.
How to prepare it in the microwave
To prepare yours hot chocolate in the cup in the microwave there is a basic rule that must be respected: the container must never be full up to the edge. Take a cup with high sides (the classic English "mug") and pour in a spoonful of sugar. Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder: if you prefer, increase the dose to two.
Add two teaspoons of water and mix until the mixture is shiny and the cocoa has not melted in the water. Break away any lumps with the help of the spoon. Add a few tablespoons of milk and turn until the mixture is homogeneous. Put the mixture in the oven and run at maximum power for one minute and 45 seconds (time suitable for a 250 ml mixture).
How to avoid or remedy any lumps
If you still had to form some lumps, you can work with the immersion blender for enough time to remove the lumps and not more.
How to flavor chocolate in the cup
There hot chocolate cup it would already be perfect like this, at the end of its cooking. But for the most demanding palates it is possible to dare even more. To make a spicy chocolate you will have to intervene in the first phase of the preparation, that of milk boiling. At this moment of cooking add a stick of cinnamon and / or a pod of vanilla, engraved and scraped. Try also 2-3 berries of star anise.
A tasty alternative can be a piece of ginger fresh peeled and left to infuse in the milk a few minutes before heating it. The chocolate al chili pepper it is also a classic among the tablets on the market: why not try it in cup chocolate? Add it to the infusion in the milk a few minutes before heating it. Before adding the chocolate liquid, remember to filter the mixture.
To enhance the taste of chocolate you can try a pinch of Maldon salt when serving hot chocolate, or you can add a pinch of nutmeg or chilli powder. Do not forget the hot chocolate in the "correct" cup: add in this case a sprinkling of Cointreau, rum or Grand Marnier. For the more traditionalists, the nocino is also excellent.
For a hot chocolate in a cup of real sweet tooth, finally add tufts of whipped Cream firm and cold: in this case you will obtain a pleasant contrast with the heat of the drink. You can also copy a trick with stars and stripes, adding small mashmellow instead of cream, following a great American tradition.
To prepare a perfect hot chocolate, just follow these five universal rules.
1. Choose high quality ingredients: dark chocolate max 75%, partially skimmed milk, no sugar.
2. Break the chocolate chips or small pieces helping you with a smooth blade knife.
3. It adopts cooking with double passage: first bring milk or cream to a boil, pour over the flakes of chocolate, then bring to a boil the two ingredients together, stirring with a whisk.
4. Create the right consistency: if the chocolate does not seem dense enough, add a pinch of corn starch in the second phase is prepared, when milk and chocolate are already mixed.
5. Spices with spices: you can enrich your chocolate with a stick of cinnamon or vanilla, star anise or pepper. Just remember that these ingredients should be added when you are bringing the milk to a boil.
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