Hot Schnocolate
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA CHRISTMASIntroduction
Well, how could I resist? A friend gave me this gorgeously named concoction — hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in it, of course — a Christmas or so ago, and I have had to appropriate it. She couldn’t remember where she got the name or the idea, so whoever created it, thank you. The recipe below, however, is mine, from distant, delicious memory.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Well, how could I resist? A friend gave me this gorgeously named concoction — hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in it, of course — a Christmas or so ago, and I have had to appropriate it. She couldn’t remember where she got the name or the idea, so whoever created it, thank you. The recipe below, however, is mine, from distant, delicious memory.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Makes: enough for 2 cups
For the Hot Schnocolate
- 500 full fat milk
- 100 grams best-quality dark chocolate (chopped small)
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 25 millilitres peppermint schnapps
To Serve
- 125 millilitres whipping cream
- 3 peppermint candy canes or minty boiled sweets
For the Hot Schnocolate
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup best-quality bittersweet chocolate (chopped small)
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ounce peppermint schnapps
To Serve
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 peppermint candy canes or minty boiled sweets
Method
- Whip the cream and put aside. Put the milk and chopped chocolate into a pan and slowly warm, until the chocolate has melted.
- Add the sugar, stir well, and bring to almost boiling point, though at no time must it boil.
- Off the heat, stir in the peppermint schnapps, and leave while you crush one of the candy canes or your boiled sweets: you just need enough beautiful pink splinters to adorn the top of the hot schnocolates; leave aside for one moment, though.
- Pour the hot schnocolate into 2 mugs and top with the whipped cream, sprinkle the crushed candy cane (or sweets) on top and, if wished, put a whole candy cane into each before drinking one and handing out the second to a lucky other.
- If you want this to be a non-alchoholic, but still pepperminty hot chocolate, replace the schnapps with a drop or two of natural peppermint flavouring,which is generally how the best-tasting peppermint essence is labelled.
- Whip the cream and put aside. Put the milk and chopped chocolate into a pan and slowly warm, until the chocolate has melted.
- Add the sugar, stir well, and bring to almost boiling point, though at no time must it boil.
- Off the heat, stir in the peppermint schnapps, and leave while you crush one of the candy canes or your boiled sweets: you just need enough beautiful pink splinters to adorn the top of the hot schnocolates; leave aside for one moment, though.
- Pour the hot schnocolate into 2 mugs and top with the whipped cream, sprinkle the crushed candy cane (or sweets) on top and, if wished, put a whole candy cane into each before drinking one and handing out the second to a lucky other.
- If you want this to be a non-alchoholic, but still pepperminty hot chocolate, replace the schnapps with a drop or two of natural peppermint flavouring,which is generally how the best-tasting peppermint essence is labelled.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
Follow the recipe up to, and including, stirring in the peppermint schnapps. Cool, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days until needed. To reheat, return the schnocolate to the saucepan, heat to a gentle simmer, then finish with whipped cream and candy canes as directed.
MAKE AHEAD:
Follow the recipe up to, and including, stirring in the peppermint schnapps. Cool, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days until needed. To reheat, return the schnocolate to the saucepan, heat to a gentle simmer, then finish with whipped cream and candy canes as directed.
Tell us what you think
Thank you {% member.data['first-name'] %}.
Explore more recipesYour comment has been submitted.