Hot Chocolate

This hot-chocolate mixes, made with the finest cocoa and chocolate, are a cut above most store-bought varieties. Fill jars with the mixes, cover the lids with a festive swath of fabric, and include peppermint "stirring" sticks for added flavor and color. To make hot chocolate, combine 1 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of this mix in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is incorporated and mixture is warmed through. Serve immediately.

• 3/4 cup quality unsweetened cocoa
• 6 ounces quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove

Make the mix: Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process just until mixture is powdery, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to over-process. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

This hot chocolate recipe calls for two different kinds of chocolate, and it's whipped frothy. The half and half cream makes for an extra rich cup of cocoa.

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 8 teaspoons sugar
• 1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat everything in a saucepan, except the vanilla, until chocolates melt and sugar dissolves. Pour half into a blender and mix until foamy. Return to the saucepan, and add vanilla. Stir briefly then serve.

Hot cocoa recipe with a bit of coffee and cinnamon. You can't beat hot chocolate made with real melted chocolate, especially with the added cinnamon.

• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups milk
• whipped cream

In a saucepan, mix chocolate, sugar, coffee, cinnamon and water. Heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir constantly. Simmer for about 4 minutes, while stirring. Add milk and heat through without boiling. Remove from heat and whisk until foamy. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 2.

A recipe for the kid in all of us. A sweet and delicious way to have some peanut butter that won't stick to the roof of your mouth. This hot chocolate is quick too, because it uses syrup instead of melted chocolate.

• 8 oz. milk
• 3 teaspoons chocolate syrup
• 1 tablespoons peanut butter, smooth
• whipped cream

Heat milk in a saucepan until hot through. Add chocolate syrup and mix well. Stir in peanut butter and stir until melted. Serve and top with whipped cream.

Hot chocolate that's good enough for the White House, with both milk and light cream. No fuss with melted chocolate, since it's made with cocoa powder. Give it a whisk for a foamy touch.

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups light cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• cinnamon
• whipped cream and orange zest to serve

Add sugar and cocoa to milk and heat in a saucepan until dissolved. Add the cream, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat until almost boiling. Mix well and serve, topped with whipped cream and a bit of orange zest.

It's special because it's so simple. Using unsweetened chocolate brings out the bold cocoa flavour. You'll be making this hot chocolate all winter long.

• 2 1/2 cups milk, scalded
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

In a blender, combine chocolate, sugar, vanilla and salt, with 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend until smooth, then add the rest of the milk. Serve immediately.

• 6 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups thickened cream
• 1/2 cup Frangelico liqueur or Amaretto or any almond-flavoured liqueur
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the milk and cream in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring just to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in Frangelico. Divide the chocolate among serving glasses. Pour over the Frangelico mixture and serve immediately.

• 2 cups milk
• 50g honeycomb bar, chopped
• 70g milk chocolate, chopped

Warm 2 cups milk over low heat. When it starts to simmer, add a 50g chopped honeycomb bar and 70g chopped milk chocolate pieces. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes or until chocolate is melted and well combined. Serve immediately with scoops of vanilla ice-cream, if desired. Serves 2.

Thick with cream, real melted chocolate, Grand Marnier and a hint of orange zest. You'll get a pretty strong cup of hot chocolate with this recipe, so don't let the innocent orange taste fool you.

• 1 cup half n' half
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup Grand Marnier

Heat half and half, milk, and orange juice until just boiling. In a mixing bowl, add about 2/3 cup of hot milk to the chocolate and whip smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk again. Simmer for around 2 minutes to reheat through. Add Grand Marnier and serve.

This is a pretty strong but mellow hot chocolate cocktail.

• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup half 'n half
• 1/2 cup rum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico)

You don't need to chop the chocolate chips, but you can if you want the chocolate to melt really quickly. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. In another small saucepan heat milk, half-n-half cream and sugar to almost boiling. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the chocolate and mix well. Pour into the rest of the milk and stir until smooth. Pour in rum and liqueur. Heat the finished hot chocolate through and serve.

Vanilla vodka is a great addition to any coffee or chocolate cocktail. And for Chocolate Kiev, there is also the almond flavour of the Amaretto.

• 1 oz. hot cocoa mix
• 4 oz. hot milk
• 1 oz. vanilla vodka
• 3/4 oz. Amaretto

Combine in a mug and stir well.

A rich hot chocolate recipe, made with real chocolate and whisked with vanilla. A few more pinches of spice gives this recipe a unique but subtle flavour all its own.

• 4 squares Baker's chocolate
• 2 cups milk, skim
• 3 drops of vanilla
• cinnamon and ground cloves to serve

Break up the chocolate and melt in a saucepan with the milk and vanilla. Don't let it boil. Whisk until foamy and pour into mugs. Top with a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of cloves.

• 8 single shots (240ml) hot espresso coffee
• 1/4 cup coffee-flavoured liqueur
• 8 small scoops chocolate ice-cream

Combine coffee and liqueur in a jug. Divide ice-cream between 8 small, heatproof glasses. Pour over coffee mixture. Serve immediately.

The Aztecs were the first to serve chocolate as a drink, but they also mixed it with hot chili pepper to make a really special beverage. Try something exotic with your hot chocolate today. You can always reduce the amount of chili if it's too hot for you.

• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 red chili pepper, split with seeds removed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 1/2 oz. chocolate bittersweet

Simmer milk in a saucepan with vanilla bean, cinnamon and chili. Heat through for about a minute. Whisk in grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until melted. Remove from heat and let 'steep' for another 10 minutes. Strain out the spices and serve. Serves 2.

A bit of a twist to a cup of hot chocolate. Yes, even hot cocoa can be transformed into a tropical cocktail, with a couple of shots of the right spirits.

• 1 cup hot chocolate
• 1 oz. coconut rum
• 1 oz. raspberry liqueur

Combine in a mug and serve.

This hot chocolate recipe calls for heavy cream and whole milk. No need for spices or other flavours when you have real chocolate and cream.

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/3 heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Simmer the milk, cream and sugar together until just boiling. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Don't let it boil. Serve warm in demitasse cups. Serves 4.

Chocolate goes well with tea, not just coffee. You can brew up this recipe is a jiffy, using instant hot chocolate powder and bags of mint tea.

• 6 mint tea bags
• 6 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons hot chocolate mix

In a saucepan, heat milk with tea bags until almost boiling. Steep for a couple of minutes and strain out tea bags. Pour our 6 mugs of milk, then stir in a tablespoon of chocolate powder in each mug. Serves 6.

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 liters reduced-fat milk
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Place cocoa and 1/2 cup milk in a large jug. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining milk. Pour into a saucepan. Add sugar and cinnamon sticks. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat. Stand for 10 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks. Heat over medium heat until warm. Pour into warmed, heatproof cups. Serve.

• 4 cups milk
• 100g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
• Marshmallows, to serve

Place the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside for 1 minute. Place 20g of the chocolate in each of four heatproof serving glasses. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Top with marshmallows and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate. Serve immediately.

• 4 cups milk
• 2 x 100g blocks dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• bought chocolates, to serve

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until almost boiling. Remove from heat. Divide chocolate evenly between 8 warm cups or glasses. Pour 1/2 cup milk into each cup. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Serve immediately, with bought chocolates on the side.

• 6 cups milk
• 2 x 7cm cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
• 150g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup thin cream
• sugar, to taste
• ground cinnamon, to dust

Place the milk and cinnamon in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Add the chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use an electric beater to whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Pour the hot chocolate among serving cups. Add sugar to taste. Place a dollop of cream on each hot chocolate and sprinkle with cinnamon.

• 1 oz. envelope of instant hot cocoa mix
• 3/4 cup hot freshly brewed Hazelnut Flavored Coffee

Pour cocoa mix into large heat-proof pitcher. Add coffee and stir until cocoa mix is completely dissolved. Pour into a large cup or mug. For a coffeehouse touch, stir with a cinnamon stick. For a cool variation you can prepare it as above, cool completely and  refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over ice cubes in tall glasses.