Malted drinking chocolate is a sweet, chocolatey drink with delicious notes of malted milk flavour. The recipe is quick & simple and this Malteser hot chocolate is every bit as decadent as the name suggests.
Try this drink with a malteser cupcake.
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Malted drinking chocolate is a clever combination of two types of chocolate, creamy milk and malted milk powder, resulting in a decadent drink with hints of nostalgic flavour. It's easy to dress up, using Maltesers malt chocolate balls, which makes it a crowd-pleasing drink for adults and children alike.
If you like the sound of Malteser hot chocolate then you'll likely fall in love with my Terry's chocolate orange hot chocolate too.
Why you'll love this drink
- Quick & easy: this drink takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.
- Appearance: not too light, not too dark, this drink begs to be dressed up with whipped cream and chocolate - Maltesers are the obvious choice.
- Flavour: this malted drinking chocolate delivers everything that the name boasts about. It is rich, smooth and deliciously incorporates malty flavour.
- Homemade: this means that you are in control of the ingredients. You can pick your favourite milk, favourite chocolate and vary the level of sweetness and maltiness all to your taste preferences.
- Sweetness: the blend of milk and dark chocolate delivers just the right level of sweetness in this malted hot chocolate drink.
- Cheap: making your own speciality hot chocolate is so much cheaper than splurging on a fancy flavour at Costa or Starbucks. And you can make it when you want it - even if you're in your pyjamas.
What is malted milk?
Malted milk, also known as malted milk powder or malt powder, is a dissolvable powder made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated whole milk powder.
It has a distinctive malty taste and it's popular in milky drinks, especially the malt shake. It can also be incorporated into sweet bakes.
In the UK, Horlicks and Ovaltine dominate the market, but own-brand supermarket versions do now exist.
Ingredients notes
Malted milk powder: use a malt powder such as Horlicks or Ovaltine, but stick to the classic version designed to be added into milk rather than water. Avoid the flavoured varieties and the low-fat versions at all costs.
Milk: whole milk will give your malted drinking chocolate the best creamy texture and flavour. Use semi-skimmed milk if absolutely necessary but avoid skimmed milk at all costs. If you prefer to use plant-based milks then oat milk is a great option.
Chocolate: use a blend of milk chocolate and dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) for this drink. Alternatively, if you can find it, use semi-sweet chocolate with around 50% cocoa solids. Using purely dark chocolate will mean that the malted milk flavour is masked but using just milk chocolate results in a drink that is considerably sweeter (for some it would be too sweet).
Garnishes: whipped cream and Maltesers are the ideal candidates to top your malted hot chocolate.
Step by step instructions
This is not a complicated recipe. In fact, this Malteser hot chocolate can be ready in just a few minutes. It's incredibly simple to make:
- Heat the milk to warm in a pan.
- Add the malted milk powder and chocolate.
- Return the pan to the heat and use a handheld whisk to blend the ingredients until the powder has mixed in, the chocolate has melted and the milk is hot (but don't let it boil).
- Remove the pan from the heat, froth the drink with a stick blender (optional) and pour it into a mug.
- Optional: garnish with whipped cream and Malteser chocolates.
Expert tips
- Warm your serving cup or mug whilst preparing the drink.
- The higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier and more decadent the malted hot chocolate will taste. For this reason, I suggest using whole milk and avoiding skimmed milk at all costs.
- Heat the milk to no more than 70C/ 158F. If you let the milk get too hot it can take on a slightly bitter taste and your malted hot chocolate will be too hot to sip (and, trust me, you won't want to wait to take that first taste).
- 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. My advice is to taste it before adding in sugar.
- If you are tempted to increase the amount of chocolate used in this recipe do so cautiously to avoid overpowering the malty flavour.
Frequently asked questions
Malteser hot chocolate can be prepared in advance and reheated when required. Simply follow the instructions in the recipe card but do not pour the drink into mugs and add garnishes. Instead, decant the hot chocolate into a jug and allow it 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).
Using the slow cooker when making a large quantity for a party is a great idea as the slow cooker can also keep it warm. To do so, just multiply the recipe by 4 so it serves 8 instead of 2. Put all ingredients (minus the garnishes) into the slow cooker bowl and cook on low for 2½ hours, stirring several times. Froth it using a stick blender before serving.
I do not recommend this as the honeycomb part of the chocolate balls do not blend too well. It's best to use the headline Malteser chocolates as a garnish only and use Horlicks or Ovaltine to add in the malty flavour.
Serving suggestions
- Maltesers - without a doubt, these should make an appearance on your Malteser hot chocolate. Serve them whole or crushed on the top of a huge pile of whipped cream, perhaps with a little bowl of extra ones alongside for added fun.
- Snacks: if you're looking for something sweet to nibble on alongside your malted drinking chocolate then try out my malted milk biscuits or my malted milkshake cake.
- Hot chocolate float: forgo the whipped cream and top your drink with malted ice cream. You'll likely need to make your own, so try this recipe for vanilla malt ice cream but leave out the chocolate chips and fruit ripple.
More indulgent hot chocolate recipes
I have so many delicious drinking chocolate recipes floating around on my website, but I've got a guide to making the best homemade hot chocolate too. Take a look at it and then have a go at these recipes:
Have you made this malted drinking chocolate recipe? Please let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below. And if you're on Instagram, why not post a picture of your Malteser hot chocolate creation and tag me (@jane_littlesugarsnaps), so I can see it too?
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Malted Drinking Chocolate (Malteser Hot Chocolate)
Ingredients
- 30 g Malted milk powder Horlicks or Ovaltine original
- 30 g Milk chocolate
- 30 g Dark chocolate with around 70% cocoa solids
- 360 ml Whole milk full fat
Optional Garnishes
- Whipped cream
- Maltesers the small 37g bag will be plenty
Instructions
- Heat the milk to warm in a pan.
- Add the malted milk powder and chocolate.
- Return the pan to the heat and use a handheld whisk to blend the ingredients until the powder has mixed in, the chocolate has melted and the milk is hot (but don't let it boil).
- Remove the pan from the heat, froth the drink with a stick blender (optional) and pour it into a mug.
- Optional: garnish with whipped cream and Malteser chocolates.
Notes
- Warm your serving cup or mug whilst preparing the drink.
- The higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier and more decadent the malted hot chocolate will taste. For this reason, I suggest using whole milk and avoiding skimmed milk at all costs.
- Heat the milk to no more than 70C/ 158F. If you let the milk get too hot it can take on a slightly bitter taste and your Malteser hot chocolate will be too hot to sip (and, trust me, you won't want to wait to take that first taste).
- 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. My advice is to taste it before adding in sugar.
- If you are tempted to increase the amount of chocolate used in this recipe do so cautiously to avoid overpowering the malty flavour.
- Malteser hot chocolate can be prepared in advance and reheated when required. Simply follow the instructions above but do not pour the drink into mugs and add garnishes. Instead, decant the hot chocolate into a jug and allow it 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).
Jane Coupland says
Deeply comforting and enjoyed by all, not just the youngsters.