Hot chocolate with orange, chilli and honey

Hot chocolate made from milk, cocoa powder and honey with orange zest and a pinch of chilli, lightly thickened with cornflour. Vegetarian, a hot drink for winter alongside juices and tea.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 5 min
• Cooking time: 8 min
• Total time: 13 min
• Calories: 220 kcal per serving
• Protein: 9 g
• Fat: 9 g
• Carbs: 25 g

Ingredients

• 1 unwaxed orange
• 400ml milk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 20g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · grater · wooden spoon

1. Finely grate the zest of the orange and cut off two thin strips of peel for garnish.
2. Mix the cocoa powder and cornflour with a splash of milk until there are no lumps.
3. Heat the rest of the milk with the orange zest, chilli and salt until steaming.
4. Stir in the cocoa mixture and let the hot chocolate simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly.
5. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the honey.
6. Pour the hot chocolate into two mugs and put a strip of orange peel on each.

Good to know

This hot chocolate is thicker than cocoa and tastes of orange, with a gentle heat at the end. Instead of chocolate, you use cocoa powder and thicken the milk with a little starch. The honey only goes in at the end.

Swaps

Milk → oat milk (contains gluten unless labelled gluten-free). Honey → maple syrup (vegan with oat milk). Chilli → 1 pinch of cinnamon (for children). Cornflour → leave it out for a thinner cocoa.

Cooking tips

Only add the honey after cooking so its flavour is preserved. Use unsweetened cocoa powder rather than drinking chocolate, which is mostly sugar.

Storage

Drink it fresh, or keep it covered in the fridge for 1 day and whisk briefly before reheating.

Allergens

Contains milk; gluten-free, no egg or nuts. Cocoa contains a little caffeine; for children, leave out the chilli; in this amount, suitable in pregnancy. No honey for babies under one year old.

Frequently asked questions

How long does hot chocolate keep in the fridge?

Drink it fresh, or keep it covered in the fridge for 1 day and whisk briefly before reheating.