2020 is over, finally! And boy what a year that was, I believe each one of us is happy that is over. Though we are all happy with 2020 gone, especially ones who fell sick or lost their loved ones. My brother got married in February 2020 and I went for a lovely trip to Bhuwaneshwar and Puri earlier in the year and those were my happy memories of 2020.

Okay, enough about last year. Now we have entered 2021 with all the energy and enthusiasm. It’s pretty chilly in Delhi since the 1st of January and all I have been wanting to do is drink some hot chocolate and keep cozy in a blanket. This is when I thought that I have never posted any Hot Chocolate recipe on Masalamojo. We have fond memories of drinking the best Swiss hot chocolate on a train ride to Salzburg on a rainy cold day.  My husband is slender and he can eat anything without a worry of gaining a pound or two unlike me, sigh! He orders a hot chocolate whenever it’s cold and he spots it on the menu.

 

Overcast sky on the train ride to Salzburg
The overcast sky on the train ride to Salzburg

Hence, I am sharing Hot Chocolate – Two Ways today – the first creates the best indulgent hot chocolate for the ones who don’t care for calories or want to indulge in a perfect hot drink. The second recipe is for calorie conscious people like me, who aren’t as blessed and have to watch what they eat.

VARIATIONS:

I have added some ingredients in Version 1 and some in Version 2 but feel free to mix and match as needed. For instance, I made some healthy hot cocoa today but added some marshmallows for some extra indulgence. Similarly, this is the most basic version, but you can spruce it up with spices like nutmeg, clove, and ginger powder as well.

PREPARATION TIME:5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
SERVINGS: 1 hot cocoa cuppa
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Low

INGREDIENTS: 

Version 1: Indulgent rich Hot Chocolate –
  1. Condensed Milk –  ½ cup
  2. Chocolate chips – ¼ cup
  3. Heavy cream – ¼ cup
  4. Sugar – 1 teaspoon (or more as preferred – I don’t add any sugar since condensed milk is sweet)
  5. Cinnamon Stick – 1
  6. Marshmallows – a few, optional
Version 2: Low-Calorie Conscious Hot Chocolate –
  1. Full Cream Milk – 1 cup (you can take cow’s milk or skimmed milk for a healthier version)
  2. Cocoa Powder – 1 tablespoon
  3. Brown Sugar – 1 tablespoon
  4. Cinnamon Stick – 1
  5. Heavy Cream – a tablespoon, for garnish (optional)

UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT:

  1. Heavy Bottom Pan
  2. Whisk

RECIPE:

Version 1: Indulgent rich Hot Chocolate –
  1. Take a heavy bottom pan and add the condensed milk, chocolate chips, and a cinnamon stick to it. Cook on low flame and keep mixing until the chocolate chips melt and mix well.
  2. Add in some heavy cream, sugar, and mix.
  3. At last, add some marshmallows and add in a cup and serve hot. You can add some extra chocolate shavings if you like.
Version 2: Low-Calorie Conscious Hot Chocolate –
  1. Add some milk and cocoa powder to a heavy bottom pan along with a cinnamon stick and sugar.
  2. Whisk everything and let it come to a boil. Add some heavy cream and turn off the heat.
  3. Pour in a mug and enjoy.
Mix Cocoa Powder in milk and some marshmallows
Mix Cocoa Powder in milk and some marshmallows