Description
Orange hot chocolate is simple to make. It’s a fun way to mix up an old favorite!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 2 oranges (preferably organic)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup honey (or more if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
- For the whipped cream (optional):
- 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey (or more if desired)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small to medium sized sauce pan add the milk.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin of one of the oranges in long chunks, leaving behind most of the pith. Add the orange peel to the milk. Gently heat up the milk over low heat until you begin to see little bubbles at the edge. Immediately turn off the heat and allow the orange peel to steep in the milk for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes, remove the orange peel and discard. Turn the heat back on to low. Whisk in the honey, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt until well combined. Allow the mixture to heat for 3 minutes to bring it back up to temperature.
- Remove the hot chocolate from the heat and add the zest of 1 orange and the fresh grated nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- For the whipped cream:
- While the orange peel is steeping in the milk you can make the whipped cream. Add all ingredients into a chilled mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer start mixing on a low speed.
- Once the cream begins to thicken a little then you may turn up the speed to medium speed and whip the mixture until small peaks have formed.
- Divide the hot chocolate between two mugs, top with whipped cream and serve immediately.
Notes
For a winter-time-cocktail you could add a shot of dark rum or brandy to the orange hot chocolate. Yum!
