While we all like a snowball or eggnog drink from time to time, here's nothing quite as warming on a cold winter night like a hot cup of cocoa. Whether you like to pop marshmallows on top to melt with a generous serving of squirt cream or you just prefer yours with a dusting of cocoa powder, a hot chocolate is a winter favourite and a brilliant treat for bonfire night.
Hot chocolate can be made a number of ways. Hot water can be added to hot chocolate powder, or to make it thicker and creamier, many prefer to make it with milk. One different way of making hot chocolate is with a slow cooker or crock pot.
Of course, if you're just making a cup for yourself to enjoy, this probably isn't worth it, but if you have all the grandchildren round for Christmas eve or you're hosting a get together with friends and family, making hot chocolate in the slow cooker is a brilliant way of making the tasty drink in a big batch.
This way, you have your basic hot chocolate drink, simmering away in the slow cooker, and it can be customised for each different drinker. So for the little ones, you might want to add some marshmallows, and for grown-ups, you could add a shot of your favourite liquor such as Bailey's.
If you want to know how to make your own slow cooker hot chocolate, here is a useful recipe from BBC Good Food.
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 2 hours 15 mins - 3 hours 20 mins
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients: Slow cooker hot chocolate
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1 Litre of milk (semi-skimmed or whole, or even sweetened condensed milk, depending on what you prefer)
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300ml of double cream (or heavy cream)
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200g of dark chocolate (chopped or use dark chocolate chips)
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100g of milk chocolate (chopped or use milk chocolate chips)
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Scorched marshmallows to serve
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Whipped cream to serve
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Grated chocolate to serve (dark, milk or white, depending on preference)
Method
1. Pour the milk and double cream into the slow cooker.
2. Add the dark chocolate and milk chocolate, then cover and cook on low for 2 hrs, stirring halfway through cooking (how amazing is that smell of melted chocolate?!).
3. Remove the lid and stir again, then continue to cook for a further 15-20 mins.
4. Ladle into mugs and top with the marshmallows, dollops of cream and grated chocolate.
Top Tip
If the drink isn't quite warm enough, pop it on the warm setting rather than low to make it the right temperature for you.
Get creative with your toppings and add your favourite chocolates or sweets on top of your cream for an extra indulgent treat. We love the idea of adding candy canes or some Terry's chocolate orange segments.
Looking for something a little different? Watch this Delish Hot Cocoa recipe.
Best products for your hot chocolate
Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
Morphy Richards slow cooker
Mallow Tree Vanilla Flavoured Mini Mallows
Epic Giant Extra Large American Style Marshmallows
Belgian Milk Chocolate chips
