Vanilla Hot Chocolate
Vanilla hot chocolate drink-that taste like vanilla ice-cream
This vanilla hot chocolate tastes like a warm cup of vanilla ice cream! It’s super creamy, comforting, perfectly sweet and with an intense vanilla flavor and to add an extra touch of indulgence some vanilla cold foam. This makes for a wonderful cozy holiday drink.
The flavor is queen in this recipe. It is made with the best vanilla beans from “Vanilla Dream” which gives you can amazing intense vanilla flavor without having to use a lot. The secret really is to use a really good quality vanilla.
I’ve been using this vanilla from Vanilla dream professionally and personally for years! And I am such a fan of it. You can’t beat the quality.
What is a vanilla hot chocolate?
This recipe is a hot chocolate drink that is made with a vanilla white chocolate ganache. It is simply a different take to a classic hot chocolate that is made with either dark or milk chocolate. Because the base is made with an intense vanilla ganache it gives it a super creamy flavor and texture. The sweetness comes from the white chocolate so it doesn’t need any extra sirup or sweetener.
This vanilla hot chocolate is made with a vanilla cold foam on top which adds an extra creamy topping. You can also leave it out and it will still tastes delicious.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Rich and creamy: because of the ganache base you get a super rich flavor and smooth, creamy texture
Intense vanilla flavor: you get a very intense vanilla flavor when using good quality vanilla. The flavor is simply AMAZING! And you get a very slight “crunch” from the vanilla beans
It’s easy to make: it really is simple ;) you can also make the ganache in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and just use it when you want to make this drink
You can customize it: easiest way is to switch the milk you want to use. Using coconut milk or even doing half coconut milk/cream and half of cows milk for example will give you a wonderful flavor combination. Add in some almond paste and you have yourself a “raffaello” inspired hot chocolate
You can easily add some spice to the ganache such as cinnamon, tonka bean or cardamom or even add it to the cold foam. You can play around with the base recipe and create something of your own flavor preference.
It makes for a perfect winter drink
Ingredients you’ll need to make a vanilla hot chocolate:
Vanilla: let’s start with the star of the show…vanilla! And you will need a REALLY good quality vanilla for this drink. It makes all the difference. I use vanilla from the brand called “Vanilla Dream” from Switzerland, truly the best! 😍
Milk or milk alternative: any milk of your choice will work in this recipe. For both the hot chocolate drink and for the cold foam
White chocolate: make sure to use a good quality white chocolate. You will notice the difference. I use white chocolate from “Felchlin” or from “Cailler” both a Swiss chocolate brand
Cream: I use full fat cream in this recipe that has 35% fat. For both the ganache and for the cold foam
Glucose sirup: adding glucose sirup to the ganache makes for a smoother texture but you can also leave it out
Sea salt: adding a pinch of sea salt to the hot chocolate gives the perfect balance to the sweetness of the white chocolate. I definitely recommend adding it
Butter: butter in the ganache adds creaminess and a smooth texture
Powdered sugar: this just adds sweetness to the cold foam. Powdered sugar will dissolve much better in the cold foam than granulated sugar, but feel free to also leave it out
Vanilla Dream
This recipe is made using Vanilla pods from the Swiss brand called Vanilla Dream.
I’ve been working with their Vanilla products for years and in my experience it is THE best!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the vanilla ganache
Start by heating up the cream, scraped out vanilla pod and glucose in a small pot and bring it to a simmer.
Take it off the heat and allow to infuse for about 20 minutes
Add the chopped white chocolate into a bowl and melt over a Bain Marie until melted.
Reheat the cream until it begins to steam, then pour it through a sieve over the melted chocolate.
Whisk the ganache gently until it starts to to homogenize. Mix until you achieve a smooth and shiny ganache.
You can use it right away or place it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
2. Make the cold foam
To make the cold foam place all the ingredients into a small jug and whisk until smooth and until you achieve soft peaks. Use a small hand held frother for this.
Set aside until ready to use.
3. Heat the milk & mix
To make the hot chocolate, heat the milk in a small pot and bring it to almost a boil.
Place the ganache into your serving cups. (You can also add the ganache into the pot of hot milk and whisk it all together there and then serve) Otherwise pour the milk on top of the ganache and allow to dissolve for 1 minute. Using a small hand held frother, whisk until evenly combined.
Top with cold foam and enjoy immediately. You can top the classes with small mini gingerbread men if desired.
Tips for making vanilla hot chocolate
Weigh your ingredients for accuracy and consistency. This goes for ALL my recipes!
Use high quality ingredients, taste really does matter especially when using fewer ingredients and components
Gently heat the milk, it doesn’t need to boil. Boiling the milk can easily burn the milk and result in a burn flavor
Add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness of the white chocolate. This rounds out the sweetness and makes it taste even better
Enjoy immediately. This hot chocolate tastes best when it is just made and also when served with the vanilla cold foam
FAQ:
1.What is a vanilla hot chocolate and what makes it different from a regular hot chocolate?
It is my take on a classic hot chocolate but made with white chocolate instead of milk or dark chocolate and flavored with intense vanilla. It is a ganache based recipe which adds more creamy texture and flavor to the drink. I also topped with a vanilla cold foam for extra creaminess and a creamy/fluffy texture. It’s allowed to be indulgent.
2. Can I made this vanilla hot chocolate with cocoa powder?
In short, NO! To get this recipe as it is shown here you cannot use cocoa powder as you just won’t get the same result starting with the look of the drink. It won’t be a “white” hot chocolate but will turn a milky brown color when using cocoa powder.
3. What is the best milk for making vanilla hot chocolate?
This recipe is made with cow’s milk but you can use another milk if you prefer for example lactose free milk, full fat, half fat. Using a milk alternative/plant based milk is of course possible, but will change the flavor a bit. This drink can’t be made vegan as the ganache is milk based.
4. Can I make vanilla hot chocolate ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. Prepare the ganache ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week and use when needed.
5. Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean?
I don’t recommend extract. It doesn’t give you the same flavor as the vanilla bean. You would have to add a lot of extract for the vanilla flavor and since most extracts are alcohol based you would get a slight alcohol flavor. As an alternative I would recommend vanilla bean paste
6. How can i make thick and creamy vanilla hot chocolate?
With this recipe using a ganache base that is made of heavy cream and the base of the hot chocolate being full fat cows milk or even half fat milk