Blackberry Hot Chocolate

Blackberry Hot Chocolate is dark, mysterious, intense & fun. Made with real blackberries, dark chocolate & milk. It’s perfect for snuggling up with in winter.

I’m way off the beaten track today. In fact, I’m so far off it you would be forgiven for thinking that I must have accidentally stumbled into the bleakest, remotest part of the UK imaginable, in a storm, and that I’ve agreed to camp there for a week. But bear with me. For those of you willing to take part in a little chocolate adventure, I have a treat to reward you with.

Chocolate and blackberries are a well known and successful union of flavours. Only a few people would dispute that it is a winning combination. But it’s one that is relatively overlooked in the world of Hot Chocolate. Of all the flavours offered up in syrup form to drizzle into our fix of liquid cocoa, not many fruits actually make the list.

My curiosity was piqued a few weeks back when I came across a recipe for raspberry flavoured white hot chocolate on Sugar Hero. That got me thinking about other fruity combinations that could mix – snuggly – with hot chocolate and it wasn’t long before the idea of pairing blackberries and dark chocolate hit me.

Blackberry Hot Chocolate is dark, intense and fun with an air of mystery about it.

It’s a mix of real blackberries, dark chocolate and milk. I like to whizz my drink up in a blender to create lots of bubbles and a luxurious frothy top.

That frothy top is essential for me.

The best way I can describe Blackberry Hot Chocolate is to think of it as a glass of sturdy red wine with tasting notes mentioning bramble hedges and berries. What you will taste in such a wine are hints of these flavours mingled in with the unmistakable, joyful flavour that you know is red wine.

Delectable.

In a similar way, the fruity flavour in this Blackberry Hot Chocolate is subtle, but it’s there. The main flavour is most definitely dark chocolate but with a hint of tart, tangy, vibrant blackberries. And just like a good red wine, the flavour will linger… for quite some time.

Tasting notes aside, I’m also a fan of the presentation of this Blackberry Hot Chocolate. That flourish of blackberry coulis drizzled over the whipped cream adds a vivacious splash of colour.

Confession: Later this year I will end up in a remote area of Scotland in a tent. I have given my word. In all honesty, this is not my idea of fun.

But apparently my kids can’t wait.

Hopefully we will not pitch camp halfway up a mountain and it had better not be stormy. But I think I’ll go prepared and take a round of Blackberry Hot Chocolate with me ready to heat up… just in case. Wish me luck?

5 from 1 vote

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Blackberry Hot Chocolate

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Blackberry Hot Chocolate is dark, mysterious, intense & fun. Made with real blackberries, dark chocolate & milk – it’s perfect for snuggling up with in winter.

Course: Drink, Non-alcoholic Drink

Cuisine: Worldwide

Keyword: berry hot chocolate, blackberry hot chocolate, fruit hot chocolate, hot chocolate

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jane Saunders

Ingredients

• 200 g/ 7oz blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3 tbsp icing (confectionary) sugar
• 1 tbsp water (if using fresh blackberries)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 720 ml/ 3 cups whole milk (or non-dairy equivalent)
• 120 g/ 4 1/4oz dark chocolate

Optional Garnish (recommended)

• Whipped cream
• Mini marshmallows
• Extra blackberries

Instructions

1. If using frozen blackberries allow to defrost in a small saucepan for 30 minutes. Once softened add the icing sugar and cook, on a moderate heat, for around 5 minutes until the blackberries are soft and squishy
2. If using fresh blackberries, cook as above with the icing sugar and a tablespoon of water
3. Push the cooked blackberries and juices through a sieve to create a coulis. Scrape the thick pulp from the outside of the sieve into the coulis as you go. Discard the seeds
4. Heat the milk until scalding
5. Meanwhile chop the chocolate and drop into the base of a blender, along with the vanilla extract
6. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute
7. Reserve 1 tbsp of the blackberry coulis and put the rest into the blender
8. Blitz until the chocolate has melted and the drink is frothy
9. Sweeten to taste and reheat if necessary
10. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, a drizzle of the reserved blackberry coulis and a blackberry
11. Serve immediately

Recipe Notes

Leftover hot chocolate can be cooled, stored in the fridge and reheated within 2 days. Stir well to re-blend the ingredients

Not done on the hot chocolate front? I don’t blame you, it’s freezing outside. How about:

• Chai Spiced White Hot Chocolate
• Candy Cane Hot Chocolate with Popping Candy
• Healthy Cinnamon Hot Chocolate