Amp Up Your Homemade Hot Cocoa With A Bit Of White Chocolate

Is there anything better than warming up with a big cup of hot chocolate after a cold day outside? If you are looking for the best hot chocolate recipes, you probably agree that this is one of life's little, yet greatest, pleasures. And it gets even better when you realize that you don't have to stick to just one hot chocolate recipe — you can try your hand at many types to get the one that is perfect for you.

But what exactly is the key to the world's best hot chocolate recipe? According to The Food Network, one of the best ways to make hot chocolate, whether you are using a packet from the store, a hot chocolate bomb from your favorite local small business, or a fully homemade recipe, is to use milk and not water. Milk will make the chocolate creamier and give the hot chocolate a richer flavor. Water, as you may have guessed, will just water down the flavor.

Aside from milk, though, there are a number of things that you can add to hot chocolate to make it perfect. For one, you will need cocoa powder. You also need a sweetener. One of the best, according to America's Test Kitchen, is confectioners' sugar, because it dissolves quickly and thickens the hot chocolate mixture. You should avoid brown sugar, though, as it can give your hot chocolate a syrupy taste and it doesn't always blend well.

Aside from that, you can also add white chocolate syrup to make the mixture creamier and more complex. According to Reader's Digest, white chocolate has a rich, buttery, slightly vanilla flavor with hints of sweet cream. This makes the taste of cocoa more intense, so adding white chocolate to cocoa powder will give your next cup of hot cocoa a rich flavor that is better than just milk chocolate alone. Want a deeper flavor? You can make your hot chocolate with a mix of dark chocolate powder and white chocolate candy chunks or syrup.

What perfect cup of hot chocolate would be complete without some toppings?  While you're busy planning the best way to make your homemade hot chocolate, don't forget to finish it off the right way. Most people choose marshmallows or whipped cream, but you can do a combination of the two and add sprinkles, peppermint chips, cinnamon sticks, candy canes, and even some chocolate shavings to the top of your cocoa. Hot chocolate recipes can be made to match a theme, like Christmas, or you can even create a hot chocolate bar for a party.  

If you want to really kick your hot chocolate up a notch, you can add a little liquor to your cup and make a fun spiked hot chocolate drink. Alcohols like Irish whiskey, vanilla vodka, rum, and even red wine blend well with hot chocolate — especially the homemade recipes — to make your next cold night or winter party just a little warmer and cozier.