- Makes 4 generous servings in 'normal' sized mugs (but the quantities can be scaled up for a larger slow cooker, or scaled down and made in a small saucepan on the hob in only 20 minutes) – Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes (includes 1 hour in the slow cooker) -
This is thick and delicious and indulgent hot chocolate, made with flakes of actual chocolate - it has the taste and consistency of hot chocolate served to skiers in the French Alps.
This slow cooker hot chocolate is ideal for when you have a gathering and you want a warming drink which can be dished out as and when it's wanted.
OR
Make the dry powder mix and keep in an airtight, labelled jar in the fridge for up to a month / give it as a gift. The quantity of dry mix detailed below makes 215g of powder, which fills a 370g 'Bonne Maman' empty jam jar exactly. If gifting it, label the jar with allergen, storage and use by information, plus instructions to 'thoroughly mix 4 tbsp of powder into a mug of hot milk' or 'add the entire jar to 1 litre / 2 pints of milk and heat in a pan on the hob until bubbling, or heat on HIGH in a slow cooker for 1 hour'.
*Check the maximum capacity of your slow cooker before you start, if you intend to scale up the recipe*
Small slow cooker capacity = 2 - 3 litres / approx. 4 pints.
Medium slow cooker capacity = 4 - 5 litres / approx. 6 pints.
Large slow cooker capacity = 5 - 6 litres / approx. 9 pints.
Gather together (for 4 generous servings in 'normal' sized mugs)...
100g solid bar chocolate of your choice - dark chocolate / milk chocolate / white chocolate / Terry's chocolate orange (Green & Black's chocolate is plastic-free AND palm oil-free), ideally REFRIGERATED for 30 minutes, or put in the freezer for 5 minutes.
2 tbsp Horlicks / Ovaltine / supermarket malted drink ('instant' type or original type) - Horlicks 32g sachets provide twice as much as this 4-mugs-serving-size requires.
2 tbsp cornflour.
3 tbsp icing sugar (it MUST be icing sugar so that it fully dissolves).
4 tbsp cocoa powder (NOT hot chocolate powder).
1/8 tsp ground Cinnamon powder.
1/8 tsp finely-ground salt.
2 pints (1 litre) of cold milk.
Get making the hot chocolate...
1. Break up the 100g of chilled chocolate into chunks and blitz the chocolate in a food processor for 30 seconds. Or chop the chocolate very finely using a sharp knife. Or finely grate the chocolate.
2. To the food processor (if you are lucky enough to have one) add the remaining dry ingredients and blitz again briefly to mix, then tip the resulting 'chunky dust' into the slow cooker pot . Or just mix the particles of chocolate with the other dry ingredients in the slow cooker pot itself (mixing with a wooden spoon so you don't scratch the slow cooker).
3. Add the 2 pints (1 litre) of cold milk to the slow cooker, STIR VERY WELL for about 1 minute with a wooden spoon (not a scratchy metal spoon) to combine the cold milk and the powder mixture.
4. Set the slow cooker to LOW for two hours to slowly heat the milk. STIR the hot chocolate very well with the wooden spoon every 30 minutes.
5. Stir well again before serving. Use a ladle to fill the mugs. CAUTION - leave the filled mugs to stand for at least 5 minutes before distributing them, as it is tempting to drink this delicious concoction even when it is scalding - ouch! Alternatively turn off the slow cooker 30 minutes before the hot chocolate is going to be drunk, so people can serve themselves and drink at once without the risk of burnt mouths.
Slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver's 'Epic Hot Chocolate' recipe.