Oh the weather outside is frightful, but this hot chocolate is SO delightful! I don’t have a fireplace in my flat so these lyrics seem much more fitting. And this vegan hot chocolate truly deserves a song lyric because it’s so sensational!
This hot chocolate is a little different than the classic as I’ve used carob powder instead of cocoa. Combined with chaga powder (optional), cinnamon, maple syrup and soy milk, it is one to go down in history! I had received carob powder and chaga powder from a german company called, PureRaw. Who had sent me these products to try. What I like about their website is that you can order ingredients that are really hard to find in the local grocers (at least the ones near me). I’ve always wanted to try carob in fact, but it’s impossible to find here in France. So this early Christmas gift was certainly well received. As for the chaga powder, this was an ingredient that intrigued me. There has been so much buzz about the health benefits of mushroom powders (chaga powder) as of late that I’ve been eager to try it. In fact Rich Roll recently had Tero Isokauppila come on his podcast who is an expert in mushrooms and their health benefits.
You might be wondering why on earth I’d want to sub cocoa powder for carob….and I get it. Cocoa powder is a classic fav. But what I like about carob powder is that it’s caffeine free. So it’s the perfect cocoa powder substitute when you’re looking for a late night cuppa sans insomnia. As for the difference in taste, it’s very subtle, but it’s a little more sweet and roasted in flavour. I find the carob powder deliciously addictive! And I’ve sort of been using it obsessively: in my hot chocolates, and in overnight oats for breakfast. But, if you don’t have carob powder this hot chocolate can certainly be made with the good old fashioned cocoa powder.
As for the Chaga powder. I honestly didn’t know how I was going to use it when I received it from PureRaw. But it was recommended that I use it for tea or lattes because it has a subtle sweet taste that’s not very overpowering. I found that description completely accurate, and it worked perfectly in this recipe. The carob and cinnamon definitely took precedence in this tasty hot chocolate mixture. Of course, adding in the Chaga powder is optional – not a make or break. But if you too are wondering how to add this nutritional powerhouse to your diet this Hot Chocolate will certainly do the trick.
The flavour combos of this steaming cup of cocoa will have you feeling festive in minutes. I’ve topped mine with a swirl of aquafaba whipped cream, because tis the season! This was my first time making aquafaba, which in case you don’t know is leftover chickpea liquid turned whipped cream. Can you even believe that? It’s sort of taken the vegan world by storm because whipped cream has for decades been one of the hardest ingredient to recreate. I used a chickpea whipped cream recipe by kitchn to make mine. But to be honest I think it needs a little more work. I could definitely taste the chickpea in the whip, and given the liquid came from a can it was a tad saltier than I would have liked. If I were to do it again I would try using the chickpea liquid reserved from boiling my own chickpeas, and add more icing sugar to make it sweeter. So please stay tuned as I work out the fine details of this recipe, and I promise to post a TWO SPOONS version of aquafaba once I’ve mastered the flavour.
But alas this hot chocolate recipe is a must try as we count down the days to Christmas, by a delightful fireplace or not, nothing will warm us up sooner than this steaming cuppa.
Happy holidays!
Vegan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
For the hot chocolate
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp chaga powder (optional)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- maple syrup to taste (I used 1.5 tbsp)
For the coconut whipped cream
- 1 can full fat coconut milk chilled
- 1/4 - 3/4 cup icing sugar
Instructions
For the hot chocolate
- Add almond milk and water to a saucepan and bring to simmer. Add cacao powder, chaga powder, cinnamon and maple syrup. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer.
- Divide hot chocolate between two cups. Optional to top each with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream.
For the whipped cream
- To make the Coconut Whipped Cream: Chill a large mixing bowl in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove chilled coconut milk from fridge and gently remove the lid, avoiding shaking. Scoop out the solid cream at the top of the can into chilled mixing bowl, trying to avoid the coconut water at the bottom. (Coconut water can be reserved for smoothies.)
- Beat coconut solids with mixer for 30 seconds, or until creamy. Add powdered sugar in batches, while mixing, until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. (I used about ½ cup icing sugar.)
Notes
Nutrition
VEGAN – VEGETARIAN – WHEAT-FREE – GLUTEN-FREE – DAIRY-FREE – SOY-FREE
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