Handmade Hot Chocolate Mix - A Perfect Christmas Gift Idea

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix - A Perfect Christmas Gift Idea

Handmade gifts are all the rage this year with the revival of all things crafty, and here is an awesomely simple and brilliant one for you. Every year, supermarkets and gift shops are filled with cheap mugs containing sachets of hot chocolate and a handful of marshmallows, crying out to be purchased for teachers, colleagues and acquaintances. With this recipe you can step it up several gears by creating the yummiest hot chocolate you have ever tasted, and presenting it in a cute personalised format for the lucky recipient. Plus - you can make sure that have enough left over for the mandatory quality control - an extra gift for you!

Finely Ground Dark Chocolate - 85% Cocoa Solids

The cocoa powder and 75% cocoa chocolate add a deep flavour to the hot chocolate, whilst the white chocolate adds a creaminess and hint of vanilla, complimented by the maltiness of the Horlicks. The cornflour prevents the mixture from clumping together.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Horlicks

4 tablespoons cornflour

8 tablespoons icing sugar

8 tablespoons quality cocoa powder (I use Green and Blacks)

100 grams white chocolate, finely grated

200 grams dark chocolate (75% or higher cocoa solids) finely grated

5 grams salt

Method

Sift the Horlicks, cornflour, icing sugar, and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the salt and mix well. Grate the white and dark chocolate into the bowl. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

To make, add 4 heaped spoonfuls of the mixture to 1 mug of hot milk and stir well. Add marshmallows, cream, sprinkles or liqueur as desired!

Transfer the mixture to individual jars, add a tag with instructions on how to make, and personalise accordingly. I bought these cute little spice jars from Tesco for £1 each, and they were perfect, the above quantities filled 4 jars exactly with no surplus.

Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Kate at What Kate Baked are looking for all things food gift-y this month for Tea Time Treats, so I am linking up with their challenge.