A hot chocolate could easily compete with a cup of coffee in terms of being a satisfying beverage. It doesn’t matter if you appreciate the intense taste of authentic cocoa or would rather load your chocolatey drink with marshmallows, chocolate is one of the most comforting drinks around. Have you ever asked yourself if you could use your coffee machine to make hot chocolate? The response is “Yes, you can!” and it’s quite simple.
What you need to prepare hot chocolate at home
A yummy snack that you can make in the comfort of your own home is hot chocolate. All you need is hot water and cocoa powder. You are already aware of this, however, this isn’t the reason that you are here.
You have an untold number of possible hot chocolate variations. As an illustration, you can make it with different kinds of dairy, choose a flavored sweetener, or add seasonings and toppings to make it unique.
Cocoa powder or chocolate
Can you make hot chocolate without the chocolate? The simplest solution is to buy a prepared package containing hot chocolate mix or cocoa powder from a supermarket.
There is a vast selection of different hot chocolate drinks available, just like when looking for a specialty coffee. Handcrafted hot cocoa can have a very identifiable flavor, depending on the nation in which it was produced, as it is typically made from a single source. You might find some hot chocolate mixes that have added ingredients that make the drink even more enjoyable.
You can get crafty and prepare your own hot chocolate mix. You have numerous possibilities of meals to make, but here is a simple one that you can make in the comfort of your own house. Combine two portion of powdered sugar, two portions of powdered milk, and one section of unsweetened cocoa powder together to make the basic blend. Sure, you can customize this recipe to fit your preference.
If you have a capsule coffee machine, you can purchase hot chocolate capsules to use in it. They will make preparing a steaming cup a cinch.
If you’re looking for a richer and more intense flavor, try substituting a small dark chocolate bar in place of cocoa powder. In Argentina and Uruguay, they refer to this beverage as Submarino, which is a term meaning “submarine”.
Water
You will need water that is chilled to prepare hot cocoa. Using tap water is sufficient, however it might contain minerals as well as pollutants that could change the taste of your hot chocolate. You can decrease the number of them by first passing your water through a strainer.
Milk or cream
If you like to have cold milk in your hot chocolate, you will need to use a refrigerated form of milk. You are free to choose whatever type of milk you wish, however, the richer the milk, the silkier and more indulgent the hot chocolate will be. Replace the milk with heavy cream to make an even richer hot chocolate.
If you cannot consume lactose or adhere to a vegan lifestyle, there are plant milk alternatives available to you. Oat milk is the best choice for this situation because it produces a consistency that is nearly the same as dairy milk. Although plant-based milks such as almond and coconut may be your preference when adding to coffee, they will produce a more liquidy result. Therefore, you could add in some additional chocolate powder to give it a thicker consistency. Hence they will not produce the typical richness that you usually anticipate in a cup of hot cocoa.
Flavorings and toppings
Hot chocolate is great as is, but you can always make it better. Depending on what you enjoy, experimenting with different syrups or spices can open up a world of interesting and unique flavors. Be imaginative and mix some chili powder, cinnamon, or a few drops of vanilla or almond extract into your mug.
There is no way to make a mistake when using marshmallows and chocolate together. Many people usually opt for the small marshmallows to put in their hot beverage, but if you’ve got some of the bigger ones stocked in your kitchen, you might be in for a special treat. Large marshmallows take longer to dissolve, meaning you can enjoy a pleasing layer of them at the bottom of your mug likely until you are finished consuming it.
It’s not just you – many other people are also unable to picture hot chocolate without the addition of whipped cream! Be sure to leave some space in the cup to add a generous amount of cream on top.
When completing your hot beverage, what could be more delightful than sprinkling additional chocolate on top? Using finely chopped dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate chips can enhance the chocolatey taste of your drink. If you fancy a seasonal rendition, try topping it with a bit of pumpkin spice blend or some ground candy cane.
How to make hot chocolate in a coffee maker
The main advantage of using a coffee maker to make hot chocolate is the convenience it offers. When you are making hot cocoa in a pot or a saucepan, it is necessary to remain in the kitchen so you can monitor it. If you’re wanting a cup of steaming hot cocoa while you’re at work, but don’t have access to a stove, a coffee maker is your only option. You can quickly make a delicious cup of hot cocoa using a coffee machine.
Making hot chocolate with a drip coffee maker
Apart from its core function, a drip coffee machine can also be used effectively to make hot chocolate.
How to make hot chocolate with a drip coffee maker:
- Fill the coffee maker water tank based on how many cups you want to make.
- Add hot chocolate mix into the coffee carafe. You can make your hot chocolate thicker by adding more chocolate. The standard ratio is a sachet of hot chocolate mixture to a cup of water.
- Run a brewing cycle without coffee grounds in the filter basket.
- Stir the mixture well, and enjoy!
This process is super easy however I have a few tips to share. If you mix the cocoa powder and hot water too vigorously in the carafe, it could break. Utilize a plastic or wooden spoon to keep from marring or shattering the glass pot.
Verify that the cocoa powder goes into the carafe, not the filter basket. Otherwise, it can clog it and make a mess in your cooking area.
How to Make Hot Chocolate with De’longhi Prima Donna Espresso Coffee Machine?
To make the best hot chocolate possible, it is necessary to have access to a top-notch espresso coffee maker.
De’Longhi Prima Donna ESAM 6900M Automatic Espresso Coffee Maker is an excellent selection for this task.
So, the process to make hot chocolate with this machine is as follows:
1. This De’Longhi appliance comes designed with a distinct and specifically made hot chocolate carafe. This carafe can be used to make hot chocolate by combining milk and cocoa powder, or some other type of chocolate powder.
2. I would advise you to try making one or two cups of hot chocolate to determine the correct consistency and flavor.
3. Begin by removing the container with the chocolate and carefully opening its cover.
4. Make sure that the steam spout is properly connected to the chocolate funnel after you remove the lid.
Verify if the stirring rod is placed in both of the openings of the funnel. If the two items are not connected appropriately, then you will not attain the best outcomes.
Be certain that the stirrer and steam escape are operating correctly before proceeding.
5. If everything is connected to the carafe correctly, ensure that the funnel and stirrer are in their appropriate positions and then securely close the lid.
6. Some folks enjoy making hot chocolate with water while others prefer to make it solely with milk.
If this dish requires you to use milk, I recommend purchasing the refrigerated variety in order to achieve the best outcome. I would suggest utilizing fresh tap water if you are going to be utilizing it.
7. It’s now time to figure out how much milk and cocoa powder to add while brewing hot chocolate in your coffee machine.
Select the quantity of hot chocolate you desire to make.
8. If you’re looking to make a cup of hot cocoa, I would suggest putting a cup of milk or water in the pot.
You will need to put in a minimum of two scoops or 25 grams of cocoa powder or hot chocolate into the funnel for this amount.
9. If you’re looking to make two cups or one mug of hot chocolate, I suggest filling up with either water or milk up to the two cup or one mug mark.
For this situation, put in four doses or 50 grams of cocoa powder into the funnel.
10. Ensure that the stirring tool and the vapor emitter are both situated in the channel when adding milk and cocoa powder. It is essential to ensure that the precise quantity of milk and chocolate powder is placed within the funnel.
11. If you’re looking for a richer hot chocolate, you can add a tad more cocoa powder.
12. After you pour the milk and powder into the carafe, make sure the lid is securely closed and then fasten it back into its original place.
13. Now comes the fun part. Once you observe all of the settings enabled on the main screen of the machine, you can then initiate the mixing process.
14. Select one of the 1 cup or 2 cup coffee icons from the screen.
15. Determine the correct quantity of density by either raising or decreasing the density degree. There are three possible densities: Heavy, Moderate and Light. Choose any one of them as per your requirement.
16. Hit the “Chocolate” button that is presented on the front panel. Once you depress the button, you will observe the appliance commencing to blend milk and chocolate powder all by itself.
17. The main purpose of the steam spout is to release the created steam into the blend. This coffee machine utilizes steam to thoroughly mix together both milk and the powder.
Don’t be alarmed if you observe vapors exuding from the pitcher during the blending process. The usual practice of heating the blend to make it more solid and consistent.
18. You will observe a brief span of agitation taking place in the carafe, then the appliance will quit when it has effectively heated and amalgamated the components in the carafe.
19. Retrieve the carafe and fill 1 or 2 mugs with the already prepared hot chocolate. The amount of hot cocoa you have will depend on the depth and heaviness of your choice.
20. If you want more hot chocolate, I suggest going for a thin or medium density option, but if you want less, then going for the thicker density would be the best bet.
How to Prepare Hot Chocolate with Just the Water and Chocolate Powder?
Now that I’ve discussed the process for a particular type of coffee machine, feel free to give this easy recipe a go on your everyday coffee maker.
You can go through the same steps even if you don’t wish to include milk. You can brew hot cocoa by utilizing just the water and either cocoa powder or chocolate powder.
It will still function even if there is no particular “Chocolate” production option available. Just follow the below procedure.
• Initially, pour a total of 5-6 cups of water into the coffee maker. • Acquire a few packets of quality hot chocolate from an online retailer. • Pour the hot chocolate and water into the coffee maker and mix together. • If you plan to make around 3-4 cups of hot chocolate then I advise including at least 5-6 cups of water to achieve a thin or medium consistency. • To intensify the flavor, add a sweetener of your choosing. I prefer to add sugarless ingredients. • Then, turn on the coffee maker and allow a few minutes to properly mix both the things inside the machine. • You will need to make sure that the mixture is appropriately boiled and the powder is dissolved into the mix. • If you see that the mixture is hot and ingredients are mixed properly, then switch off the machine. Remove the mix and portion it into three to four servings.
Aside from this method, I am aware that you all have some additional inquiries about this hot chocolate recipe.