While we are stuck in this pandemic, away from Ski Slopes and everything winter, let us indulge in the small things. This Cardamom Infused Hot Chocolate is not the hot chocolate you had as a kid. That watered-down mess they tricked us into thinking was real hot chocolate. This is the thick, warm, decadent, luxurious hot chocolate of your dreams. We make ours with milk infused with aromatic cardamom (chocolate and cardamom love each other trust us) making each sip of this hot chocolate extra special. Bitter with a touch of sweetness making in our opinion the perfect cup of hot chocolate.
Here is What you will need for Dalya’s Cardamom Infused Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate Variations:
- The Original: Feel free to make this without the cardamom. Garnish with some marshmallows or some whipped cream.
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate: One of our all-time favorites. Leave out the cardamom and add in 1-2 drops of food-grade peppermint extract.
- White Chocolate Hot Chocolate: Leave out the cardamom and sugar. Substitute the dark & milk chocolate for pure white chocolate. This is amazing and a kid favorite. Also works with some peppermint or orange extract.
How to Make Dalya’s Cardamom Infused Hot Chocolate
1. Cardamom Infused Milk
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, heat up your milk with 6 cardamom pods that you have popped open with the back of a knife. Right before it reaches a simmer (do not boil or burn) remove from the heat. Let the milk infuse for 20-30 minutes.
2. Finely Chop You Chocolate
Use good chocolate bars for this. At least 70% for the dark and a good milk chocolate. They are the only ones that will melt correctly and add enough flavor. On a cutting board with a sharp knife, very finely chop up all your chocolate. Our recipe calls for a mix of milk and dark chocolate. If you enjoy an extra bitter hot chocolate substitute the amount of milk chocolate for dark.
3. Make the Hot Chocolate
After the milk has infused, in a medium saucepan over medium heat place chopped chocolate + cocoa powder + sugar + a splash of infused cardamom milk. Whisk until melted.
Slowly whisk in the rest of the infused cardamom milk (If you like a thinner hot chocolate you could essentially stop here, but if you like a thicker hot cholate continue to the next step). Whisk in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with a little bit of our cardamom milk).
Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Serve the hot chocolate in your favorite mug and garnish with chopped milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. Feel free to add marshmallows or whipped cream instead. Serve this hot, if it cools down too much the mixture will thicken. You can easily warm up the mixture again add a splash of milk to thin it out a bit.
If you make Cardamom Infused Hot Chocolate, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #thetablediaries on Instagram. We love seeing all the recipes you and your family enjoy.
Cardamom Infused Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tbsp corn starch
- 84 grams dark chocolate chopped finely plus extra for garnish
- 28 grams milk chocolate chopped finely plus extra for garnish
- white chocolate chopped finely for garnish
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 6 cardamom pods
Instructions
- Break open cardamom pods with the back of a knife.
- In a medium saucepan heat the milk + cardamom. Right when you see the milk about to simmer remove it from heat. Let cardamom infuse in the milk for 20-30 minutes.
- When the milk has infused remove the cardamom pods from the milk.
- Cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl add cornstarch and a splash of the infused cardamom milk. Mix with a spoon.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat place chopped chocolate + cocoa powder + sugar + a splash of infused cardamom milk. Whisk until melted.
- Slowly whisk in the rest of the infused cardamom milk. (If you like a thinner hot chocolate you could essentially stop here, but if you like a thicker hot cholate continue to the next step).
- Whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened, 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped milk, white, and dark chocolate. Or try some marshmallows or whipped cream.
- Serve hot. If mixture cools down too much, warm again adding a bit of milk to thin it out.
