(Pardon my French! Not entirely sure "Sans Laitage" shouldn't be "Sans Produits Laitiers" or something else.)
Ever since I heard that at Ladurée in Paris they blend hot chocolate with an immersion blender to make it really frothy just before serving, I knew I had to have an immersion blender. But by the time I got the immersion blender my chocolate mood had passed and has only just now returned. You see, generally speaking I am not a chocolate fan. But when the mood does strike, nothing else will do!
And one of the chocolate things I enjoy is a good not-too-sweet hot chocolate. An "adult" hot chocolate, if you will. Since I'm contemplating experimenting with dairy-free for a couple of months at some point, I thought I'd make my hot chocolate with rice milk. Of course, you can use regular milk and even add more sugar, if you like. And you might want to leave out the Kahlua or coffee.
There is only one thing you can't change about this recipe. You must froth the chocolate with an immersion blender for one minute and serve immediately. I've made hot chocolate with rice milk before, and it seemed rather thin. Not this. The immersion blender gives the hot chocolate a texture I can only call "plush."
Have you tried it? If not, give it a go and let me know what you think.
The Ultimate Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate
(Makes 1 serving)
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) rice milk
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon (or more) Kahlua or 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon (or more) Kahlua or 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 In 1-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients, cooking and stirring until hot. Turn off heat.
2 With immersion blender, blend hot chocolate for 1 minute. It will be very frothy.
Note: If you are multiplying recipe to make 2 or 3 servings, use a 2-quart pan. For 4 servings, step up to a 3-quart pan because the immersion blender will really expand the contents of the pan.
3 Pour into mug(s). Enjoy.
I made something quite similar with almond milk and love it too. Have to give your recipe a try soon as I love the add of coffee liquor.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds wonderful, though I don't have a special blender....here in the Midwest we are just heading into hot cocoa, and for my dairy free daughter in law, this might just be the right treat! Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog, the llamas are sure fun to have next door!
ReplyDeleteAngie, thank you. I still haven't tried almond milk. I don't know why -- I love almonds. Must pick up a carton today.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anita. I'm sure you can get the same effect pouring it into a countertop blender or even whisking by hand.
ReplyDeleteBetween your spartan tastes and my jaded ones we are keeping the universe in balance, Jeani. I like a little hot chocolate in my sugar. And the appetite for chocolate is 24/7/365. One mood. Best described as constant and voracious. Hot chocolate is fireside stuff, but I have yet to try fire-eating itself (you see, there is some discipline in my feasting). Nothing like kicking back beside a roaring fire, sipping hot chocolate…after skinny skiing for two hours in the frosted forest. The requisite tryptophan/dopamine/oxytocin et al triggers and neurotransmitters will only happen if you stoke the boilers out on the trails! As for immersion blending, heck yeah, sounds much better than my current method, i.e. take mouthful of hot chocolate, swill until frothy, gulp down. Oh, I just love proper etiquette! 5 cleavers for anticipating an enchanted après-ski by the hearth, as my inamorata once described it.
ReplyDeleteSully, thank you. And I am just excellent at that whole apres-ski thing. It's my best winter event, my best sport.
ReplyDeleteYour timing couldn't have been better! You did time this for me, right???
ReplyDeleteI love hot chocolate this time of year and have recently found out that I'm lactose intolerant. Thanks to you, my immersion blender is going to be very busy!
Jacqueline, thank you! (Great minds think alike -- and all that!) Let me know how you like it.
ReplyDeleteI would most certainly do this, but alas, I don't have an immersion blender! I'll just have to suffer along....:)
ReplyDelete:D Yes, Joanne, you can "suffer along" with a regular blender or just a wire whip!
ReplyDeleteI bet it tastes delicious.
ReplyDeleteSometimes make a hot chocolate drink but don't put it in the blender..
Thanks, Margaret. Try the blender sometime and see what you think!
ReplyDeleteJean, your hot chocolate sounds lovely especially with some coffee added. I don't own an immersion blender although my son gave me a hand blender for my birthday. I suppose it would do the trick. Don't tell him, but I haven't even used it yet. Thanks for sharing your recipe and enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteAutumn blessings,
Sandi
Sandi, you are in luck -- "immersion blender" is just another name for a "hand blender." And I recently learned they're also called "stick blenders." Make this for you son so he can see his gift in action! :D
ReplyDeleteI don't have an immersion blender, but love hot chocolate. You put me in the mood.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound great! I have a respiratory dairy allergy, so drink/use only almond milk. This sounds great! Thanks for posting to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!
ReplyDeleteRuth
Yes, Linda, it is the time of year when a cup of hot chocolate really sounds good! Try just whisking it for a minute before pouring it into the cup. I really think it makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ruth! I'm sure it would be good with almond milk as well. I'm going to pick some up today and try it.
ReplyDeleteOooooh! Yum, Yum, Jean!! I like using the immersion blender. That should really do the trick. I wonder if I could use coconut milk. I probably have hot chocolate once a decade, but I might like to try this on Christmas Eve! BEAUTIFUL photo, btw.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy! Glad you like the photo! If you do try this for your once-a-decade hot chocolate, let me know how you liked it. I'm loving the immersion blender.
ReplyDeleteI think your French is probably perfect. Laitage are milk solids or possibly curds separated from the whey. So it makes sense that this is a way of saying without dairy fat. I love my immersion blender too. GREG
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greg! My French that is not completely menu- or wine-related is pretty rusty!
ReplyDeleteMuy exquisito me gusta el chocolate caliente en toda época de hecho estamos en primavera y yo sigo tomándolo,abrazos
ReplyDeleteC'est tres bien!! It is also very good with a splash of brandy! xx
ReplyDeleteHot chocolate with a frothy texture? That would be like drinking a semi liquid chocolate mousse, I think. Delightfully yummy. I failed French in school, mostly because I hated the teacher.
ReplyDeleteGracias, Rosita! So good to hear from you -- it's been a while!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, Amy -- I do love brandy in lots of things!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great description, River! I dropped Spanish after switching to a school with a bad teacher (his pronunciation was horrible and he leered at the girls!).
ReplyDeleteWhat a delicious, grown-up sounding hot chocolate. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kim! I'm looking forward to my upcoming dairy-free experiment. But it will require some planning.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who has a serious dairy allergy, so this looks wonderful. Thank you so much! Pinned.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, thank you! I hope your friend will enjoy it. Pin is much appreciated, too!
ReplyDeleteI have not tried an immersion blender for my hot chocolate before, but I'm absolutely going to do so now. :-)
ReplyDeleteRambling Tart, when you try it, do let me know how you liked it. You could also pour it into a regular blender, but that's just way too much mess and bother!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteYour recipe has been featured this week on Full Plate Thursday. Hope you enjoyed the feature and your new Red Plate!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen, thank you so much! I'm going to be checking out your latest -- the pumpkin recipes -- this afternoon. Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful alternative for people who are dairy allergic! This looks so delicious! So glad you shared as some really need this!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bernideen! I hope some with allergies will really enjoy it. AND I hope you've got lots of good helpers to assist with packing up all your lovely things for the move!
ReplyDeleteLooks just like hot chocolate .....might have to give this a try one of these days, but I guess I have to get a frother first. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dee. It *is* just like regular hot chocolate, and you can adjust the amounts of everything to suit yourself. I made some the other day for a real chocolate fan, so I doubled the amount of chocolate chips. If you get an immersion blender, you'll soon find a lot more uses for it besides just this!
ReplyDeleteI am allergic to dairy, but love hot chocolate. I make mine with soy milk, froth the milk with Hershey's syrup, and top it with dairy free chocolate chips that I chop into tiny pieces. Absolutely delicious. Right now during the holidays I am able to get peppermint chocolate coconut milk creamer. A decadent treat.
ReplyDeleteSounds great! I especially like the sound of the peppermint, chocolate, and coconut milk! And doesn't the frothing make it extra good?
ReplyDelete