Homemade Hot Chocolate

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Who doesn’t like a nice cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day? That’s why we’ve created the most chocolatey delight here at Umamiology. Our homemade hot chocolate is sure to melt any heart, lighten any mood, and bring joy to those who drink it! Indulge yourself in our first (yes, there will be more!) homemade hot chocolate recipe!

Remember that scene in the 2023 Wonka movie starring Timothée Chalamet? Young Wonka, after losing twelve silver sovereigns (big silver coins – his livelihood) in just one day, sits on a cold lonely bench and magically pulls out a cup of hot cocoa from his oversized top hat. If you ever wondered what Wonka’s hot chocolate tastes like (before it freezes over), read on to whip up the Umamiologist’s imaginative, “I’ve never had chocolate like this” version of homemade hot chocolate!

(Oh, and fair warning… there’s going to be A LOT of Wonka movie references in this post! Hope you’ve watched it and love it as much as I do!)

We also dive into what we think could be the secret ingredient that the great Wonka might have used in his definitely homemade hot chocolate! Now, let’s escape to a “world of our own” as we dive into the Umamiologist’s homemade hot chocolate recipe “that’s like no other – if it were, I wouldn’t bother!”

Hot Cocoa vs Hot Chocolate

Hot cocoa, hot chocolate, same difference, right? Wrong! If you ever wondered why there are two terms for this deliciously heart-warming drink, it’s actually because the two refer to two different drinks.

It’s simple – hot cocoa is made out of cocoa powder and hot chocolate is made out of melted chocolate! Ohhh that makes so much sense! Now you know what to expect when you’re purchasing a cup of hot cocoa or hot chocolate.

Hot cocoa, because it uses cocoa powder, is generally less thick and creamy. Hot chocolate, because it uses melted chocolate, you can expect extra chocolatey gooeyness.

So what do you think? Do you think Wonka had hot cocoa or hot chocolate?

Cacao Powder vs Cocoa Powder

Did you second guess as to whether you read the same word twice? Well, one is cacao powder and the other is cocoa powder (almost feels like a word jumble!).

The short and sweet version of the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder is how it’s made.

Cacao Powder	Cocoa Powder
Made with unroasted, fermented cacao beans	Made with roasted, fermented cacao beans
Vegan (no additives during processing)	Not vegan (sugar and dairy could be added during processing)
Processed at low temperature	Processed at high temperature

So when you see all those vegan chocolate desserts out there, they probably have cacao powder instead of cocoa powder! In today’s recipe, we’re also using cacao powder. But you can easily substitute it with your favorite cocoa powder.

Now the most important question is… would an Oompa Loompa prefer cacao powder or cocoa powder? I think the answer is… IT DEPENDS, of course!

Evaporated Milk vs Condensed Milk

Here’s another “versus” for today – what’s the difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk? Apart from a few details on how they are made, evaporated milk and condensed milk are pretty similar.

Evaporated milk is, as the name suggests, the milk concentrate that’s left after 60% of the milk’s water evaporates away while cooking milk. This liquid is then canned so that it can be shelved longer than regular milk.

As far as condensed milk goes, you can think of it as evaporated milk mixed in with sugar. That’s why you see condensed milk used in cool desserts – it’s just too sweet to pass off!

So you guessed it! We’re using condensed milk in our hot chocolate recipe. This is what’s going to add the sweetness and the creaminess. No other sugar or sweetener will be added!

What is Milk Powder?

We talked about evaporated milk and condensed milk, and now it’s time for milk powder! Well, when you evaporate all of the water in milk (yup, beyond the 60% above), you’re left with this powdered state of the milk.

You can find milk powder in many foods or drinks – like candies, coffee creamers, infant formula, and Umamiology’s hot chocolate! This ingredient will add that extra creamy texture to our chocolaty goodness.

The Ingredients for Homemade Hot Chocolate

• 2 cups Reduced Fat Milk (2%)
• 2 Tbsp Condensed Milk
• 1 Tbsp Milk Powder
• 2 Tbsp Cacao Powder (and a bit extra for garnish)
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate coarsely chopped (or your favorite chocolate bar!)
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Marshmallows (or other favorite topping)

The Equipment Needed

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Small Pot
• Silicone Mixing Spoon (or Whisk)
• Ladle
• Mug Cups
• Vegetable Peeler (optional)

What Chocolate Is Best for Hot Chocolate?

You know that chocolate bar that Wonka’s mom made him? I wish I could tell you to get one of those chocolate bars – it looked so simplistically delicious!

Instead, I’ll begin by asking you to picture your favorite chocolate bar. One that’s simple and plain, but is delicious because of its simplicity. You’ll need that for this best homemade hot chocolate recipe.

I picked a classic semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate bar – 72% cacao – Intense Dark for our hot chocolate. I recommend choosing a semi-sweet chocolate if you don’t want your hot chocolate to be too sweet. If you love the extra sweetness, go for a milk chocolate bar!

How to Prep for Homemade Hot Chocolate

Now, I also wish I could tell you to pull out one of Wonka’s magic briefcases with a built-in chocolate maker. He makes chocolatier-ing look so easy!

Since we don’t have one of those, I’ll ask you to pull out a cutting board and knife to coarsely chop your chocolate into little pieces. You don’t need to chop the chocolate too finely, but smaller pieces mean it will melt faster in the pot later.

If you want to be extra fancy, take a piece of chocolate (before chopping it all up) and a vegetable peeler to shave some chocolate pieces. We’ll use these chocolate shavings for a fancy topping later!

How to Make Homemade Hot Chocolate

Now that you’re done prepping, it’s time to turn up the stove top heat!

In a small pot, combine all ingredients – milk, chocolate, cacao powder, condensed milk, milk powder, and vanilla extract.

Bring the heat to a medium-low and mix in all the ingredients. Stir slowly and frequently so the chocolate melts and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Once the mixture is warm and cozy (not boiling), turn off the heat. Ladle the hot chocolate into your favorite mug cups and top with marshmallows and chocolate shavings! Serve immediately and drink before it gets cold!

Now, this hot chocolate recipe has got the Wonka seal of approval – if he were here to taste it too!

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