Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate is a quick and easy recipe to prepare and it delivers a sweet, chocolatey drink that has a zesty burst of citrus about it. This hot chocolate orange drink smells divine and is every bit as decadent as the name suggests. It requires just 3 ingredients and is ready in less than 10 minutes.
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This Terry’s Chocolate Orange hot chocolate has been my guilty pleasure for the last few months. It’s the perfect balance of sweet chocolate against hot creamy milk with a pop of vibrant, zesty orange flavour alongside. It also smells amazing.
Terry’s Chocolate Orange may have become synonymous with Christmas (my kids always hope for one in their Christmas stockings), but really there’s no reason not to be enjoying this sumptuous orange hot chocolate all year round.
If you love including your favourite chocolates into hot drinks then don’t miss my Malteser hot chocolate recipe. And if you fancy a fun tipple then try your hand at my creamy chocolate orange liqueur.
Why you’ll love this hot chocolate
Orange and chocolate is a classic flavour pairing that is popular with kids and adults alike, so this milky drink is always going to be a safe bet to please a crowd. But there are so many more reasons why this hot chocolate orange drink is worth making:
- The recipe is quick and easy – it can be ready in less than 10 minutes
- This hot chocolate smells fantastic and the flavour is immediately obvious once a waft of its aroma is taken in. This is thanks to the orange oil present in Terry’s Chocolate Orange
- The taste is everything the name and scent of this drink would lead you to expect. It is rich, smooth and rich in the flavour of chocolate but with a vibrant hint of zesty orange mixed in
- Making your own is much cheaper than buying a Costa Terry’s Chocolate Orange hot chocolate (over £3 a glass)
- And of course, homemade means that you can enjoy it whenever you fancy, not just when the Costa menu dictates
Ingredients notes
Quite clearly, this is a recipe for hot chocolate made with Terry’s Chocolate Orange. The milk chocolate version is the best one to use for a lovely sweet milky chocolate drink. For anybody unable to get hold of this chocolate I’ve included a list of suitable substitutions further down in this recipe post.
Use full-fat milk for the richest, creamiest drink.
Step by step instructions
This is not a complicated recipe. In fact, this hot chocolate made with Terry’s Chocolate Orange can be ready in a flash and is one of the simplest recipes on my blog, comprising just short 4 steps:
- Chop the chocolate segments into fine pieces and cut a strip of zest from an orange.
- Put all ingredients into a saucepan.
- Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is hot (but don’t let it boil).
- Remove the orange zest, froth with a stick blender (optional) and serve
Expert tips
- The orange zest amplifies the fresh taste and aroma of orange in this drink. If you don’t have a fresh orange it’s okay to proceed without it
- If you are using the orange zest take a moment to cut away any pith from the back of it. Pith can add unwanted bitterness to this drink
- Whole (full-fat) milk is best for this recipe. Quite simply, the higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier and more decadent the hot chocolate will taste. For this reason, avoid skimmed milk at all costs
- Taste the drink before deciding to add any sugar to it. I have not included additional sugar in this recipe as I find the hot chocolate is sweet enough for my tastes, but you might think otherwise
- If you are tempted to increase the amount of chocolate used in this recipe do so cautiously. I’d hate for you to end up with a drink that is too sweet to be enjoyable
Frequently asked questions
This recipe is so quick and simple it seems almost a shame to extend the preparation time by using a slow cooker. However, I certainly think that this method is great when entertaining as the slow cooker can keep the hot chocolate warm. In this instance, there’s no point in preparing it on the hob just to transfer it to the slow cooker to keep warm.
So if you would like to adopt this approach then I suggest multiplying the recipe by 4 so it serves 8 instead of 2. Simply put all ingredients into the slow cooker bowl and cook on low for 2½ hours, stirring several times. Froth using a stick blender before serving.
To make this hot chocolate orange drink in advance, simply follow the instructions then decant into a jug and allow to cool. Chill until required (up to 3 days), then reheat on the stove or in the microwave (stir well if any ingredients settle in the bottom of the jug).
Yes you can. I have a recipe for Italian style thick hot chocolate (cioccolata calda) I recommend you follow this recipe using Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange and use half of the sugar listed. If using the milk chocolate version then omit the sugar completely to avoid the drink becoming too sweet.
Ingredient substitutions
The milk chocolate version of Terry’s Chocolate orange is by far my preference when making this recipe. The aroma of the orange oil present in this chocolate is unmistakable. Plus, the segments are fun and make a great topping or addition served at the side. However, using Terry’s Chocolate Orange bars or individually wrapped segments is also perfectly fine.
Moving onto other brands, there are plenty of similarly priced options to try out such as Galaxy Smooth Orange, Aero Orange Bar and Dairy Milk Orange. Not all of these bars contain orange oil, hence my preference for Terry’s, but they should still produce a tasty drink.
Variations
There are a few variations to consider aside from the milk chocolate version of this hot chocolate orange recipe:
White chocolate orange hot chocolate
Make this version using Terry’s Snowball – a white chocolate version of the classic Chocolate Orange. Definitely do not add extra sugar to the drink when using this product as it is slightly sweeter than the milk chocolate version.
Dark chocolate orange hot chocolate
You’ve guessed it, substitute a Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange into the recipe. This product has a cocoa butter content of 43%, so it’s still a relatively light dark chocolate. Whether or not to sweeten this version of the drink is entirely at your discretion.
Orange flavoured hot chocolate
Find yourself lacking in any suitable orange flavoured chocolate? Fear not, you can still make this hot chocolate orange drink – just use milk chocolate then add a small amount of orange extract to taste. Start with ¼ tsp, taste and add an extra ¼ teaspoon if required.
Spiked Orange hot chocolate
If you feel like turning this into an alcoholic drink just for the grown-ups then the natural choice would be a splash of orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Alternatively, some Baileys Orange Truffle liqueur wouldn’t be out of place. Don’t over-do the alcohol though, I find around 20ml (4 teaspoons) is sufficient to add a gentle buzz without dominating the drink entirely.
Vegan hot chocolate orange
Sadly, none of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges are vegan, so for a dairy-free hot chocolate orange drink you will need to find a reliable orange flavoured vegan chocolate that is suitable for melting (or an unflavoured chocolate bar plus orange extract). As for the best non-dairy milk, my preference leans towards coconut milk. It will alter the flavour slightly, but it’s worth it for the beautifully thick and creamy texture that this milk lends to drinks. Luckily, orange and coconut work nicely alongside each other.
Of course, toppings also need to be dairy-free, so perhaps try a little whipped coconut cream on top.
Serving suggestions
Perhaps I’m preaching to the converted here, but if you are looking for inspiration for how to serve this delicious hot chocolate orange here are a few ideas:
- Plain & simple – froth the milk, pour into mugs and enjoy the charming citrus scent of this hot chocolate orange drink just as it is
- Luxury orange hot chocolate – to be honest, any hot chocolate begs for special treatment in my opinion, but for the ultimate in decadent luxury, whipped cream topped with both finely grated orange zest and chocolate orange is hard to beat. Alternatively, wedge a segment of the chocolate orange into the cream
- Christmas – make the best orange hot chocolate entirely fitting for the festive period by serving just as the luxury hot chocolate above but with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and/ or nutmeg over the top of the cream and a cinnamon stick pushed into the whipped cream too
- Kid friendly – cream is always popular but perhaps replace the orange zest with some orange sprinkles and scatter a few white mini marshmallows on top for good measure
- Halloween – find some themed sprinkles, such as pumpkins and bats, to grace the swirls of cream. Let the kids warm their hands around enticing mugs of this hot chocolate orange drink after their trick-or-treating adventure
Have you made this Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate drink? If you have please give it a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 360 ml Whole milk (full-fat)
- 60 g Terry's Chocolate Orange (milk chocolate version)
- 1 Strip orange peel
Instructions
- Begin by chopping the chocolate finely and scraping any pith from the back of the orange peel
- Put all ingredients into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring frequently until the milk is hot ( but not boiling) and the chocolate has melted
- Remove from the heat and take out the orange peel ( it can be thrown away)
- Optional: use a stick blender to froth the milk and ensure all of the chocolate blends in
- Pour into mugs and garnish as desired with whipped cream, orange zest, grated chocolate, ground spices etc
Notes
- The orange zest amplifies the fresh taste and aroma of orange in this drink. If you don’t have a fresh orange it’s okay to proceed without it
- Take a moment to cut away any pith from the back of the strip of orange zest. Pith can add unwanted bitterness to this drink
- Whole (full-fat) milk is best for this recipe. Quite simply, the higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier and more decadent the hot chocolate will taste. For this reason, avoid skimmed milk at all costs
- Taste the drink before deciding to add any sugar to it. I have not included additional sugar in this recipe as I find the hot chocolate is sweet enough for my tastes, but you might think otherwise
- If you are tempted to increase the amount of chocolate used in this recipe do so cautiously. I’d hate for you to end up with a drink that is too sweet to be enjoyable
dan
What are the amounts of each ingredient? How many chocolate segments to how much milk?
Jane Coupland
Hi Dan – all in the recipe card at the end of the post – hit the jump to recipe button at the top of the post to take you directly to it if you like.
Fiona
Fantastic mouthwatering selection of hot chocolate heaven. Can’t wait to try them. Thank you Jane fabulous as always.
Jane Coupland
Thanks Fiona – this one is a keeper.