12 Days of Celebrations | Day 1
Things I Learned:
Though often used interchangeably, hot cocoa and hot chocolate are actually different drinks.
- Hot cocoa = made with cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar
- Cocoa is made by fermenting, drying, roasting, and grinding beans
- Then, it is used to make hot cocoa, which has little fat, few calories, and various health benefits
- Hot chocolate = “drinking chocolate” – made with chocolate containing cocoa butter, mixed with hot milk
Since it is made from cocoa powder, milk or water, and sugar, hot cocoa has some health benefits that hot chocolate is not as likely to provide.
Packed with antioxidants, prebiotics, and flavonoids hot cocoa can help with gut health, heart health, and overall wellbeing.
Simple Hot Cocoa Recipe for One
I found this super simple recipe on epicurious and was able to whip it up on short notice with ingredients I already had in my kitchen.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1–2 Tbsp. sugar (I went with SweetLeaf because it’s what I had on hand, but should have either added a bit more or used regular sugar)
Kosher salt (I skipped this)
1 cup milk or any combination of milk, half-and-half, or cream, divided (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
Marshmallows or whipped cream for serving (optional)
Flavorings or hard candies for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine cocoa powder, sweetener or sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of milk to a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until combined into something resembling a paste.
- Add the remaining milk, maintain heat, whisk occasionally for about 4 minutes until warm.
- Add vanilla extract and kosher salt (if using), whisk a bit more. Heat to desired temperature then serve hot.
- Add any toppings or flavorings you like and enjoy!
What did I miss?
Did I miss any fun or interesting cocoa facts? Do you have a tasty hot cocoa recipe to share? Drop it in the comments!