Hot chocolate for cosier evenings

Cold winter evenings are perfect for watching an interesting film or relaxing with friends. The ideal companion for such idyllic moments spent in the warm shelter of your home, while watching snowflakes dancing through the window, is surely hot chocolate. For more pleasant evenings, it is therefore a good idea to stock up on a good quality hot chocolate mix. It''ll make life that little bit sweeter ...

Did you know?

• The first chocolate drink made from cocoa beans is thought to have been invented by the Mayans around 2000 years ago. It was drunk cold and the chocolate flavour was often enhanced with wine or chilli.
• The Aztec ruler Montezuma is said to have drunk the drink, which resembled today''s version of hot chocolate, from a special golden goblet. Some sources even claim that he drank as many as 50 goblets of this delicious drink a day, which would certainly have earned him the title of the first known ''chocoholic''.
• In the past, hot chocolate was also often used for medicinal purposes, to relieve various stomach ailments.
• In 2010, Nestlé set a special record by producing the world''s largest ''cup'' of hot chocolate. The total volume of the record hot chocolate was approximately 2 400 litres.
• A cup of hot chocolate will provide you with beneficial antioxidants - for example, twice as many as red wine.
• In the famous 2000 film Chocolate, the favourite chocolate product of the character portrayed by actor Johnny Depp was hot chocolate.
• The hot chocolate mix can also be used in recipes involving (edible) chocolate or cocoa. Chocolate icing made with hot chocolate mix can be extremely tasty.Did you forget to stir a little while making hot chocolate and now you''re annoyed by the lumps that have appeared? You can help yourself with a stick blender - in just a few seconds, your hot chocolate will be smooth and shiny again.

Hot chocolate with different additives

In the centuries since its invention, the basic recipe has undergone significant refinements, and many variations of hot chocolate have emerged. Today, the range of hot chocolate mixes is extremely varied and includes some seemingly unusual additives, which have quickly become established and extremely popular. So, for those of you who believe that opposites attract even in the culinary world, you can treat yourself to a hot chocolate with menthol or celebrate the memory of the ''inventors'' with a cup of hot chocolate with chilli.

For a more enjoyable evening, it is therefore a good idea to stock up on a good quality hot chocolate mix.

You can also choose from a variety of fruit or nut additions, or for those who prefer white chocolate, you can have a hot chocolate made with a special blend made from white chocolate to make your evenings more enjoyable. The possibilities are virtually endless, but of course you can also add your choice of additives to the ready-made hot chocolate. In winter, and especially in the run-up to the festive season, cinnamon hot chocolate is particularly suitable, as its scent also creates a special atmosphere. A classic addition to hot chocolate for cosier evenings, and one you''ll find hard to go wrong with, is of course whipped sweet cream.

The "upright spoon" or how to get really thick hot chocolate

Most hot chocolate lovers will agree that real hot chocolate is the kind where the "spoon stands upright". If you agree, the first rule is to use a good quality hot chocolate mix, as the result will be more like cocoa than real hot chocolate. However, if you want the final product to be a little thicker, you can tweak the basic recipe on the packet a little by using less milk (animal or vegetable) than intended. With a little experimentation, you will quickly discover the ratio that works best for you and gives you the desired thickness of hot chocolate. If you make a dosing mistake, you can also use a little cornstarch, which will also come in handy for thickening many other dishes, so it''s definitely a good idea to keep it in the kitchen cupboard. That way, you won''t miss out on the perfect hot chocolate!