Hot cocoa is a chocolate-rich beverage and not only kids but youngsters like it too. Many people might know about hot cocoa but some people still donโt know. This article will help them to understand everything about hot cocoa. We will talk in brief about everything about hot cocoa and also tell you the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate. This article will answer your question about what to eat with hot cocoa.
We can say hot cocoa is a Mexican recipe that later earned fame all around the world. Hot cocoa is very flexible to add to any new recipe.
Many people are confused that hot cocoa or hot chocolate tastes good only with sweet food items but this is not true. It goes perfectly with salty foods too. We will talk about this in detail in the later parts of this article only.
There are many different things in different cuisines that go perfectly well with both hot chocolate and hot cocoa. Even though they have the same base main ingredient they taste completely different. We will discuss this later also the recipe to make hot cocoa at home.
Kids always like to have something with chocolate in it and hot cocoa can be a really good option for them. Moderation is still essential to control the level of sugar intake.
1. What Is Hot Cocoa?
When we say hot cocoa one thing is obvious it includes the cocoa seeds in one way or another. Crushed cocoa seeds make hot cocoa, and it tastes bitter just like coffee. Many companies provide hot cocoa powder in the market and they are available in many different price ranges.
The quality of seeds used in making cocoa powder decides the price range. We can buy that powder and make hot cocoa easily at home because it doesnโt need a lot of effort or ingredients.ย
It can be a great option in winter for both kids and parents. It is easy to pair it with anything because it has a delicious taste. Almost every cafe serves it if you are not willing to make it by yourself. They always serve hot chocolate to make you feel very warm and cozy, especially in winter.
Many people see it as their comfort food. In the next section, we will be defining the real difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate.
2. Difference Between Hot Cocoa And Hot Chocolate
First, we will be discussing hot chocolate and its components. As we can say only by reading the name hot chocolate has chocolate in it. Chocolate is the key ingredient in hot chocolate. It also comes under the category of sweet beverages.
Because of the chocolate, it has a milky smooth texture along with some sweetness. People use cocoa seeds to make chocolate by mixing them with milk and other ingredients to create milk chocolate. People use that same milky texture of chocolate in the making of hot chocolate.
Hot cocoa on the other hand is made by the use of cocoa seeds, the base ingredient used to make different kinds of chocolate. In hot cocoa, we get the powder form of cocoa seeds. It is not mixed with any other ingredient like milk so it tastes more bitter. It provides a very raw flavour.
Hot cocoa is loved by younger people more than kids. We can add chocolate in it if we want to or we can have it as it is with some tasty dessert or salty food. People who have a sweet tooth can enjoy it with sweet beverages but the people who donโt like to eat something too sweet then they can opt for salty food. It can cut the sweetness of the cocoa.
3. Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe
Hot cocoa can be a great way of starting your day instead of coffee sometimes. Before discussing the things to try out with hot cocoa we should talk about how to make it at home by ourselves.
First, we need the hot cocoa powder of your choice then we would need some sugar or if you want to make it healthy then you can add honey. We would also need a pinch of salt to add to it. At last, We would need some milk and if you are vegan then you can also add nut milk or soya milk.
The first step to make hot cocoa would be to boil milk in a pan on low flame then add the hot cocoa powder along with some sweetener and a pinch of salt. Cook It together for almost two minutes and then pour it into a jar or coffee mug.
You can pour some cocoa powder or whipped cream on top of it to make it look attractive. It is this easy to make hot cocoa and you can also change the original recipe to make something else from it.
4. Some Other Recipes With Hot Cocoa
There are many other ways to use hot cocoa powder and we will discuss some of them with you here.
4.01 Frothing
Frothing is a great technique to make any drink airy and bouncy. If somebody wants the ultimate ombre effect in their hot cocoa then they should try this. First, take some milk boil it, and mix hot cocoa powder with sugar and salt in a glass. To make it look fancy and beautiful you can add chocolate syrup inside the walls of the jar but if donโt like too much chocolate then you can skip it or add caramel instead.ย
Now take your frother and froth your milk in a narrow glass with up and down motion to form the bubbles. Now add the mixture of hot cocoa powder with sugar and salt to the serving glass you made. After that add the milk form on top of it and it will create your desired ombre effect.ย
4.02 Marshmallows
Marshmallows are a great choice to be made when we are deciding to eat something that has chocolate in it. It has a very mild sweet flavor and it increases in size if we bake it in the microwave.
Add some mini marshmallows to your hot cocoa to add some new elements to your drink. You can also choose to put marshmallows on top of it when itโs ready because it can melt fast in hot beverages. Kids love to eat it as it is too because it has a very appealing texture and smell.
4.03 Brownies
If you have some hot cocoa powder and you donโt want to drink hot cocoa anymore then try it out once. Follow the basic recipe to make brownies but instead of the chocolate add the hot cocoa powder. It can give it a very different taste also donโt forget to add some chocolate chips too. Serve it when itโs cool and pour some whipped cream on top of the brownie.
5. Things To Try With Hot Cocoa
We will start with the sweet things and go towards the salty food in this portion. It is to discuss all the interesting things we can try with hot cocoa both at home and in cafes.
5.01 Churros
Churros are an interesting thing to try and it has a very crunchy texture. It has a shape similar to a star. We can easily make it at home because it only needs some flour and baking soda. To make that particular shape we need the nozzle and a piping bag.
Make a thick batter from flour and baking soda then add it to the piping bag and attach the nozzle at the end of it.
Start putting long pieces directly in the hot oil to deep fry them. After taking them out of the oil immediately sprinkle the sugar crystals and cinnamon powder on it and serve it with hot chocos. They taste really good if we eat them by dipping them into the hot cocoa.ย
5.02 Pretzel Sticks
There are a lot of ingredients in pretzels and it can be a little tricky to make at home. You are also free to opt to eat it in a beautiful cafe in a relaxing environment.
Here is a short guide if you want to make it at home by yourself and enjoy it on your couch. We need corn syrup along with many other ingredients and mix it well. Now add the flour and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
After this add water and make a tight dough. Now make sticks from that dough put it on the baking sheet and bake it for some time. When it gets cooled down you can serve it with hot cocoa. Try it by dipping it in hot cocoa with some whipped cream and it will taste very creamy and appetizing.
5.03 Rolled Wafers
Wafers are soft and bubbly and they are served with chocolate. Wafers and hot cocoa are the perfect combination to try and everyone should try it. On a chilly day try some warm fresh wafers with hot cocoa. To make wafers we would need some flour along with some sugar and eggs.
Break two eggs and mix them well then add the sugar and mix after this add the flour to the bowl. Make a paste with a runny consistency. Now you can make wafers in a waffle maker. Roll it when itโs still warm and spread some chocolate syrup on it along with some chocolate chips. Try it with hot cocoa if you love chocolate and enjoy.
5.04 Chocolate Chip Cookies
We all have had a chocolate chip cookie at least once in our life and we all know that it tastes delicious. They go perfectly with almost everything. To make chocolate chip cookies we would need a lot of butter with flour, sugar, and chocolate chips.
Start by melting the butter and add the flour by straining it through a strainer. Add sugar caster sugar and chocolate chips then mix it in one direction in circular motion. When the dough is ready put it on the baking sheet in small balls and put it in the microwave very carefully. Let them cool down to room temperature when they are baked. Now it is ready to serve with hot cocoa.
5.05 Dried Fruit
Dried fruit like almonds and pistachios can be a very good choice if you want to add some other flavours to your hot cocoa. A nutty flavour can be a great choice to cut the sweetness of hot cocoa and chocolate. We can have dried fruit as a side dish with hot cocoa or we can chop them in small pieces and add them to their cup of hot cocoa.
6. Final Note
We talked about a very delicious Mexican hot beverage. Almost everyone likes the texture and flavour of chocolate. Hot cocoa is loved by all kids and youngsters. Hot cocoa is available in all the cafes but with a little bit of practice, we can make it at home too.
The main ingredient is the hot cocoa powder. Many people confuse hot cocoa with hot chocolate but they both are completely different. The main basic ingredient is the same in both hot chocolate and hot cocoa. Milk chocolate is the main ingredient in hot cocoa and chocolate is made by mixing cocoa with sugar and other elements. It is made directly from cocoa powder and it has a bitter taste.ย
Hot cocoa can be served in an ombre effect too by frothing the milk and adding it to the hot chocolate mix. Hot cocoa powder can also be used to make chocolaty brownies with some added chocolate chips in it. There are many different things to try with hot cocoa.
Churros can be fun to make by ourselves. Pretzel sticks have been very difficult to make because they donโt need any piping bag or nozzles. Hot cocoa may have many other uses so try them out if you have enough time.
Last Updated on by riyaspeaks
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