Hot cocoa milk recipe to warm you up this winter

There is no better way to enjoy winters than snuggling into the bed with a cup of steaming hot chocolate. Be it restaurant-bought or a homemade recipe, hot chocolate is the best winter drink of all times.

Hot chocolate is not just great for your taste buds, but has some health benefits in store for you too.

Cocoa beans are rich in flavanols and said to have more antioxidants than any other phytochemical-rich plants. They even possess anti-inflammatory properties that will guard you against seasonal flu.

There are some ready-made cocoa mixes available in the market. However, they are high in sugar and other unnecessary additives which are not good for health. Hence, it is best to make fresh hot chocolate at home whenever you are feeling a bit down. You can whip it up in minutes and don’t even need any cooking skills.

Made with unsweetened almond milk and dark chocolate, spiced with warm aromatics, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, this lighter hot chocolate is ideal for treating yourself frequently all winter long.

SPICED ALMOND HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients Required:

• 4 cups 960ml unsweetened almond milk

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoons ground cardamom

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 12 oz 340gr high-quality semi-sweet chocolate

• Pinch of salt

• ½ cup heavy cream heavy whipping cream

• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions To Prepare:

• In a medium pot, simmer the milk with spices over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chocolate until it’s melted. Remove from heat and add a small pinch of salt (it sharpens the flavor nicely).

• While the milk is simmering, whip the heavy cream with sugar using an electric mixer until hard peaks form.

• Divide the hot chocolate into 4 cups. Top with dollop of prepared whipped cream. If desired, decorate with slivered almonds and chocolate curls. Enjoy!

If you feel a bit experimental, try adding some mint leaves or even vanilla extract for more flavour.