How To Thicken Hot Chocolate – I Test 7 Methods [Pics]?
Do you love hot chocolate but find it too thin?
This article explains you how to thicken hot chocolate without using cream or milk.
Thickening Method I tested seven different methods to thicken hot chocolate.
Some worked better than others.
If you want to thicken hot chocolate, try these methods.
A note on my experiment
I tested seven different methods to thicken hot chocolate. I used three different types of cocoa powder regular Hershey’s, Dutch processed and unsweetened, two different types of sugar white granulated and raw cane and four different types of milk skimmed, 1%, 2% and whole. I tested each method using 3 cups of hot chocolate mix. In order to test the effectiveness of each method, I measured the thickness of the final product after each step. I found that the best way to thicken hot chocolate was to use regular Hershey’s cocoa powder and white granulated sugar. This combination gave me the thickest hot chocolate. I tried other combinations but none were as effective as the above. Here are the results from my experiment. 1. Regular Hershey’s Cocoa Powder + White Granulated Sugar – Thickest Hot Chocolate 2. Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder + White Cane Sugar – Second Thickest Hot Chocolate
Ways to thicken a hot chocolate:
Thickening hot chocolate is not difficult. It is simply a matter of adding ingredients to the recipe. Many people think that only sugar and cream will thicken hot chocolate. But, there are many ways to thicken hot chocolate such as cocoa powder, powdered milk, flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot starch, potato starch, gelatin, agar agar, carrageenan, xantham gum, guar gum, gellan gum, locust bean gum, konjac root, tara gum, sodium alginate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium hydroxide.
Results summary
1. 2.
Thickener
3. 4.
Thickening power
5. 6.
Taste and texture
7. 8.
Overall rating
9. 10.
Thickening hot chocolate with cream
To thicken hot chocolate, simply whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream into the milk mixture until smooth. This recipe works well if you want to serve the drink immediately, but if you prefer thicker hot chocolate, let it cool completely and reheat gently.
Using melted chocolate (instead of cocoa powder)
If you want to thicken hot chocolate using melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder, melt 2 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler or microwave oven. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add milk and stir until smooth. Serve immediately. Adding whipped cream
melted chocolate
If you want to thickened hot chocolate using melted chocolate instead of cacao powder, melt 2 ounces of semissweet or bittersweet chocolate or dark chocolate in a double boiler or a microwave oven. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk and stir well until smooth. Top each serving with whipped cream.
What’s the best chocolate for hot chocolate?
Chocolate is a very popular ingredient in hot chocolate. It adds flavor, aroma, and color to the drink. Chocolate is available in many forms such as cocoa powder, chips, bars, and chunks. Cocoa powder is the least expensive form of chocolate and is used mostly for baking. Chips are pieces of chocolate that are usually sold in bags. Bars are solid blocks of chocolate. Chunks are pieces of chocolate that have been chopped into smaller pieces.
Thickening hot chocolate with cornstarch (or flour)
Hot chocolate is a beverage made from milk and chocolate. Hot chocolate is traditionally served warm but can also be served cold. Hot chocolate is typically thickened with either cornstarch or powdered sugar. Cornstarch is added because it dissolves easily in liquid. Powdered sugar is added because it does not dissolve in liquid.
Method:
To thicken hot chocolate, mix 1/2 cup of cornstarch with 2 cups of milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir until smooth. Add the chocolate and stir until combined. Serve immediately.
Cornstarch alternatives
1 cup of flour mixed with 1/4 cup of cold water or ice Sugar alternatives Answer: Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1/3 cup of milk. Heat the mixture until it reaches a simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and serve. Cocoa powder alternatives Answer: Mix 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder with 1/3 cup milk. Heat the mixture in a saucepan until it reaches a simmer and stir until the cocoa powder dissolves. Remove from the heat and serve. Milk alternatives Answer: Combine 1 cup of powdered milk with 1/3 cup water. Heat the mixture in the microwave until it reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from the microwave and serve. Chocolate chips alternatives Answer: Mix 3 tablespoons of melted butter with 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Add 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/3 cup of mini marshmallows. Mix well and spread onto wax paper. Let cool completely and break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.
Thickening hot chocolate with melted marshmallows
Combine 2 cups of hot milk with 4 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips. Melt the chips in the milk using a double boiler. Once the chips melt, add 1/2 cup of miniature marshmallows. Continue heating until the marshmallows soften and dissolve. Serve immediately. Making caramel corn Answer: In a medium sized bowl combine 1/2 cup of light corn syrup, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup of salt, and 1/4 cup of water. Place the bowl in a microwave safe dish and heat in the microwave for 10 minutes. Stir every minute until the mixture turns clear. Pour the mixture into a shallow pan and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and cut the kernels off the cobs. Sprinkle the kernels with 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped pecans. Return the pan to the freezer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional pecans. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Thickening hot chocolate with xanthan gum (or guar gum)
To thicken hot chocolate, mix together 3 tablespoons of xanthan gum or guar gum with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Add the mixture to the hot milk and stir well. Heat the mixture in a double boiler until thickened.
How to use xanthan gum to thicken hot chocolate:
Mix together 3 tablespoons of xantham gum with 1 tablespoon of water. Add the mixture into the hot milk and stir thoroughly. Heat the mixture in the double boiler until thickened, about 5 minutes. Xanthan Gum Hot Chocolate Recipe:
Thickening hot chocolate with a milk frother
To thicken hot chocolate using a milk frother, mix together 3 tablespoons of xanthan gum with 1 tablespoon of warm water. Stir well and set aside. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of whole milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in the xanthan gum mixture. Return to low heat and continue stirring until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Xanthus Gum Hot Chocolate Recipe: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the xanthan gums and continue whisking until the mixture thickens. Serve immediately.
Thickening hot chocolate with chocolate spread
Mix together 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Stir well and set the mixture aside. In a sauce pan, bring 2 cups of milk to a simmer. Add the cocoa mixture and stir well. Continue stirring until the mixture thickened, about 5 minutes. Cocoa Powder Hot Chocolate Recipe:
How do you make hot chocolate not watery?
Yes, but not recommended. Adding cornstarch to hot cocoa can change the consistency from thick to thin. It is better to add sugar instead.
Do you boil water for hot cocoa?
Hot cocoa is a popular drink around the world. It is usually served warm and sweetened with sugar or honey. Hot cocoa is usually made from chocolate liquor, milk, cream, and sometimes vanilla extract. This recipe calls for cornstarch because it thickens the mixture. Cornstarch is used in many other recipes as well. For instance, it is added to sauces and gravies to thicken them. It is also used in baking to help breads stay moist and tender.
What can I use instead of cornstarch in hot chocolate?
Cocoa powder is a mixture of ground cacao beans, sugar, milk solids, and other ingredients. It is used as a flavoring agent in baked goods, beverages, ice cream, and desserts. Cocoa powder is available in two forms: natural unsweetened and sweetened. Natural cocoa powder contains no added sugars, while sweetened cocoa powder usually contains about 10% sugar. To dissolve cocoa powder in hot liquid, simply stir until dissolved. For cold liquids, such as milk or coffee, you can either whisk the cocoa powder into the liquid or place the cocoa powder directly in the refrigerator overnight. Whisking dissolves the cocoa powder faster.
How do you mix cocoa powder with water?
Hot Chocolate is a drink that is very popular around the world. It is usually served warm and creamy. However, it can sometimes get lumpy if not properly prepared. To prevent lumps from forming in hot chocolate, you can use cornstarch. Cornstarch is a thickening agent that helps to thicken liquids such as milk. It is used in many recipes to help thicken sauces, gravies, soups, and other dishes. In addition, it is used to thicken ice cream, custards, and desserts.
What does cornstarch do in hot cocoa?
Boiling water is not necessary for making hot cocoa. Hot cocoa is simply chocolate mixed with milk and sugar. It does not require any additional ingredients such as salt, pepper, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices.
Can you add cornstarch to hot chocolate?
Hot chocolate is a delicious drink that is easy to make. It is usually made from cocoa powder, milk, sugar and vanilla extract. However, if you are making hot chocolate for children, you may want to avoid using powdered milk. Powdered milk contains added sugars and artificial ingredients that could potentially harm young children. Instead, opt for whole milk or low fat milk. To make hot chocolate, mix 1 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Heat the mixture until it comes to a simmer. Add sugar to taste. Serve immediately.