Today’s Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa is the perfect beverage for the holiday season. Luscious and loaded with chocolate flavor with just enough sugar to balance, these are not like any hot cocoa you’ve ever had before. Trust me, you are going to be making excuses to serve these to your family and friends.
A while ago I was lucky enough to go to a cooking class taught by the amazing Emily Luchetti, former Executive Pastry Chef of Farallon and Waterbar restaurants in San Francisco as well as the Big Night Restaurant Group. Not only is she an absolutely delightful person, she is one of the most talented pastry chefs in the country.
When you see her in action, she makes everything seem so easy. I kept saying, “I can do that” throughout the whole class. Everything was delicious, but her opening salvo was the most incredible hot chocolate I have ever had. Combining three different types of chocolate with just the right amount of sugar, it had every one of us swooning with delight.
This is not your ordinary hot chocolate. It is more like a pourable pudding or slightly thinned ganache. It has an incredible depth of chocolate flavor from the blending of chocolates and cocoa and an unbelievable creaminess that comes from the heavy cream and white chocolate. The bitter cocoa takes the edge off the sweetness making this something you will dream about for years to come. As Emily says, this isn’t for lightweights who prefer a mild-flavored hot chocolate!
Today I am sharing it with you plus a few tweaks of my own. I know, you’re saying, is there anything she doesn’t mess with? The short answer is no – I tend to put my spin on just about everything I make. I can’t help it, it must be the creative gene in me, LOL! In this case, I am trying to recapture my youth – the days we spent snow skiing at Lake Tahoe and the nights gathered around the fire sipping hot chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps! For an adult version, you can add the alcohol to the cocoa if you like. The only thing you’ll be missing is the aching muscles and sunburned face!
The original recipe is in Emily’s cookbook, A Passion For Desserts. Running the gamut from simple, traditional desserts to high-end, knock your socks off presentations, this book will make you a better baker and garner you rounds of applause from family and friends.
Just like in her classes, she has the ability to explain things so that you have the confidence to try challenging recipes. In addition to her cookbooks, you can also follow her blog. It would make the perfect holiday gift for the food lovers, cooks, and bakers in your life!
Have you seen the movie “The Santa Clause”? There is a scene in it where the elf Judy is telling Santa about her hundred-year-old recipe for hot cocoa … “not too hot, not too sweet, just right.” That is how I feel about today’s hot cocoa!
Make these Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa drinks and watch your guests swoon with delight!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa:
- Heavy whipping cream, whole milk, white chocolate
- Milk chocolate, salt, cocoa powder, peppermint extract
PRO Tip:
LorAnn oils are gluten free and good for everyone. They are my favorite oils because they are designed for candies and much more powerful than ordinary extracts. They make a ton of flavors so you’re likely to find anything your heart wants!
PRO Tip:
This recipe can be made ahead making it perfect for entertaining. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then just reheat it gently in a double boiler (a bowl set over a pan of simmering water) or in the microwave. Stir until smooth then serve. You can keep it warm for hours in a slow cooker!
How to make Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa:
- Scald the cream and milk over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring often, until bubbling around the edges and steaming hot, but keep it below a boil; remove from the heat and stir in the two chocolates and cocoa powder
- Let the chocolates sit for 15 minutes to start the melting, then whisk until smooth; stir in peppermint extract to taste
- Pour into mugs or coffee cups and top with a dollop of whipped cream; sprinkle the top with sugar if desired and serve immediately
PRO Tip:
You can add a splash of liqueur to coffee, hot chocolate, or other drinks to elevate them to cult status. I like to keep a small assortment on hand. Served over ice, they can be refreshing cocktails, or you can use them in mixed drinks.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Medium saucepan
- Heatproof spatula
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Gluten-Free Tips:
You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a straight edge, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa (Gluten Free)
Today’s Peppermint Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa is the perfect beverage for the holiday season. Luscious and loaded with chocolate flavor with just enough sugar to balance the blend, these are not like any hot cocoa you’ve ever had before. Trust me, you are going to be making excuses to serve these to your family and friends.
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups (303g) heavy whipping cream
- 1-1/2 cups (341g) whole milk
- 11 oz (312g) white chocolate, finely chopped
- 5 oz (142g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp (16g) cocoa powder (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract* or to taste
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream
- Cinnamon, crushed peppermint candies, or coarse red sugar, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, scald the cream and milk over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbling around the edges, but not boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the white and milk chocolates, salt, and cocoa powder. Let sit for 15 minutes to start the melting, and then whisk until smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract – to taste!
- Pour into coffee cups and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with sugar and serve immediately.
- You can make this up to several days in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and then reheat over indirect heat in a double boiler, or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and serve.
- *If using peppermint oil, add by the drop because it is so much more concentrated and powerful than extracts.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
Modified recipe from Emily Luchetti
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 5g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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The Food Hound
This makes my day!! I long for the days in Belgium where you receive a little mini pot of thick, hot-chocoloate-like substance to pour over ice cream to make the famous Dame Blanche. This reminds me of that sauce and OOOOHHHHHH how I want to make this!! The Booze Hound will go nuts!
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook
You just took me back to Belgium too! If you want to make this a little thicker, just reduce the amount of milk a little. You’ll be right back on the canals in Bruges! Tell me how the Booze Hound likes it! BTW, with your inspiration, I’ve nicknamed my husband the Cookie Hound, LOL!