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–+ servings
Christmas hot chocolate on a wooden plate with christmas lights in the background.

Christmas Hot Chocolate

A mug of this Christmas hot chocolate with Bailey's whipped cream is pure bliss. This cosy drink is somewhere between dense Italian hot chocolate and regular cocoa as we know it - thick, velvety and oh so creamy.
5 from 36 votes
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Course: Drinks
Cuisine: International
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 977kcal
Author: Maretha Corbett

Ingredients

For the hot chocolate

  • 250 millilitre milk - full fat or semi-skimmed
  • 50 grams chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon

For the Bailey's cream

  • 125 millilitre double cream - or heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar - or confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Bailey's liqueur - or liqueur of choice

Instructions

Prep

  • Start by breaking the chocolate bar into smaller, bite-sized pieces. This will help it melt more smoothly.
  • Make a slurry by mixing together 2 teaspoons of cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until smooth. Set the cornflour slurry aside until needed later.
  • In a separate bowl, pour the double cream and whisk using a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft peaks form.
  • Add the icing sugar and Bailey's liqueur and continue whisking briefly to combine. Set the whipped cream aside.

Making the hot chocolate

  • Pour the milk into a medium sized saucepan. Add the broken up chocolate pieces, cocoa powder, light brown sugar and pinch of cinnamon (if using).
  • Place the saucepan over low heat on the stove and stir continuously with a whisk or silicone spatula as the milk heats.
  • Continue gently heating and stirring until the milk becomes steamy and foamy with tiny bubbles beginning to form around the sides of the pan. The milk should reach a bare simmer at most.
  • Once simmering, slowly pour the cornflour slurry you prepared earlier into the pan in a thin, steady stream while whisking vigorously and continuously for 2-3 full minutes.
  • Keep whisking quite vigorously until the hot chocolate has thickened up substantially and becomes completely smooth, velvety, and piping hot in temperature.
    Be careful not to bring it to a full boil. Patience and very low heat is key during this stage.
  • Once thickened and smooth, immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pour the hot chocolate into mugs.
  • Top each mug generously with the whipped Baileys cream. Decorate however you wish.

Notes

Top tip:

It is important to keep whisking vigorously and continuously as you pour in the cornflour slurry. This prevents any lumps from forming. If lumps do occur, don't worry - simply use a stick blender to blend the hot chocolate mixture until perfectly smooth once more.

**Nutritional data disclaimer**

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 977kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 2267IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 2mg