You love hot chocolate. You probably do. You can enjoy it while reading a book or watching your favorite Christmas movie with family. Many people like to experiment with their hot cocoa recipes. They may substitute powder for real chocolate or add extra chocolate sauce or cream. These modifications are delicious but no longer a surprise. Here are some suggestions for adding a unique twist to the same old hot chocolate recipe.
Here are five fun ingredients to add a surprise to your hot chocolate:
1. Sea Salt
You can react ‘WHAT?’ when you think about adding sea salt to a sweet drink. A little salt will not make your hot cocoa taste salty.’ It will instead highlight the sweetness while reducing the bitterness. You can use salt in your hot drink as well as chocolate cookies or cakes.
2. Hot Pepper
It may seem even more absurd, but this is not something that we just come up with. Hot pepper has been used for centuries to enhance the bitterness of cacao in hot chocolate. Start with a pinch and adjust to taste if you like it.
3. Orange Zest:
A little zest of fresh orange will add a fruity, refreshing punch to any chocolatey beverage. Oranges and chocolate go well together, so it’s a great addition to hot chocolate for those who don’t like the sweetness.
4. Chai Tea
You can also try chai and hot chocolate, a popular fusion drink. This recipe is an experiment. Steep a chai bag in hot chocolate. Cinnamon is a great addition to the chai and chocolate.
5. Peppermint:
Peppermint is another refreshing addition to hot chocolate. If you like chocolate and mint separately, you will love the combination. Peppermint can be easily added to hot chocolate by using peppermint extract, crushed candies, or fresh mint leaves.