A delicious, sweet but rich hot chocolate mix. Easy to make, in just 5 minutes. Drinking this hot chocolate is like drinking a candy bar!
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. (Pour the vanilla extract onto the sugar so it doesn't stick to the bowl.)
Process the ingredients for about a minute, until well-combined. The sound of the grinding will change as the chocolate becomes powdery. If necessary, scrape down the bowl and pulse a few more times to get everything blended well.
Spoon the mix into a glass storage jar. Label and store away from heat and light.
Measure 3 tablespoons (35 grams) or 4 tablespoons (45 grams) of hot chocolate mix into a microwave-safe mug. Add one 8-ounce cup of the milk of your choice.
Microwave for one minute, then stir to begin to dissolve the chocolate.
Microwave for another 45-60 seconds. (I do 60 seconds to make my hot chocolate scalding.) Stir again to combine. Top with a marshmallow. Sip cautiously until it cools.
Use 3 tablespoons for a reasonable but rich cup of hot chocolate. Use 4 tablespoons of mix for a candy bar-level amount of sweetness.
I find a food processor essential for this recipe. A bullet blender works okay, but not ideally. Grating the chocolate is not sufficient as it means you have to heat the hot chocolate mix with the milk for longer.
You may switch the amounts of semisweet and milk chocolate for a sweeter hot chocolate mix.
Dairy milk (1%, 2%, and whole) all work well, as do coconut milk, almond milk, and soy milk.
If making for a dairy-free or vegan diet, check the ingredient lists of your chocolate. Use semisweet chocolate for the milk chocolate, but use two chocolates with different amounts of cocoa solids.
Substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract if desired. For mint hot chocolate, substitute ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract for the vanilla.
Originally published in 2012.
Calorie count is an estimate, for 3 tablespoons/38 grams of mix. It does not include calories from milk. Your calorie count will vary based on the ingredients used.