Packet hot chocolate mixes are fast, but real hot chocolate made from cocoa, sugar, and milk takes barely longer and tastes noticeably better.
What you need
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar, or a flavoured sugar like Midnight Mocha which already contains cocoa
- A splash of hot water
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- A pinch of salt
The method
- In a saucepan or mug, mix the cocoa powder and sugar with a small splash of hot water, stirring into a smooth paste. This step stops the cocoa clumping once the milk is added.
- Add the milk and a pinch of salt, then heat gently in a saucepan over low heat, whisking occasionally, until hot but not boiling.
- Taste and adjust sweetness, then pour into a mug.
Why the paste step matters
Cocoa powder is hydrophobic, meaning it resists mixing directly into liquid and tends to clump on contact. Making a paste with a small amount of hot water first, before adding the larger volume of milk, gives a smooth result without needing to whisk aggressively or strain the drink afterward.
Using a pre-blended cocoa sugar
If you are using a sugar that already has cocoa and coffee blended in, like Midnight Mocha, you can skip the plain cocoa and simply stir two to three teaspoons into hot milk directly, since the fine grind and even distribution means it dissolves without the paste step.
Dairy-free version
Oat milk is the closest match to dairy in terms of body and how well it froths, making it a strong substitute. Almond milk works but produces a thinner drink, so consider halving the amount of milk used or adding a touch more cocoa to compensate.
A finishing touch
A pinch of sea salt on top, or stirred in at the end, sharpens the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste more like itself, the same principle used in good brownie recipes.