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Hot and Sweet! Hot Chocolate for True Chocolate Lovers

Warm up your winter with a cup of homemade hot chocolate.

By Kiri Tannenbaum
We all know that when making hot chocolate, ripping open a pouch is a quick fix. But surprisingly, preparing hot chocolate from scratch is not only incredibly indulgent, it is equally fast. We picked the best of the best, so grab your mugs and whip up one of these twists from a few of our favorite chefs.
Willie Nash/ Getty Images

Warm your winter with a cup of homemade hot chocolate with these recipes from some of our favorite chefs.Can't get enough chocolate? Try some of these decadent chocolate cakes or any of our other chocolate recipes!

1

Homemade Hot Chocolate

We all know that when making hot chocolate, ripping open a pouch is a quick fix. But surprisingly, preparing hot chocolate from scratch is not only incredibly indulgent, it is equally fast. We picked the best of the best, so grab your mugs and whip up one of these twists from a few of our favorite chefs.
Willie Nash/ Getty Images

We all know that when making hot chocolate, ripping open a pouch is a quick fix. But surprisingly, preparing hot chocolate from scratch is not only incredibly indulgent, it is equally fast. We picked the best of the best, so grab your mugs and whip up one of these twists from a few of our favorite chefs.

2

Master Chocolatier Jacques Torres

<p>As the wise spice purveyor and vanilla expert Aaron Isaacson, a.k.a. Mr. Recipe, once said, "Chocolate would be nothing if it weren't for vanilla." Jacques Torres, a.k.a. Mr. Chocolate, also abides by that rule in his recipe for <a href="/recipefinder/jacques-torres-flavored-hot-chocolate-recipe" target="_new"><b>Classic Hot Chocolate</b></a> and his creamy variation on the classic, <a href="/recipefinder/jacques-torres-white-hot-chocolate-recipe" target="_new"><b>White Hot Chocolate</b></a>.</p>
Courtesy of Jacques Torres

As the wise spice purveyor and vanilla expert Aaron Isaacson, a.k.a. Mr. Recipe, once said, "Chocolate would be nothing if it weren't for vanilla." Jacques Torres, a.k.a. Mr. Chocolate, also abides by that rule in his recipe for Classic Hot Chocolate and his creamy variation on the classic, White Hot Chocolate.

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3

Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp

<p><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/ask-aida/index.html"target="_new"><b>Ask Aida</b></a> how to make hot chocolate, and she'll steer you toward her grown-up <a href="/recipefinder/aida-mollenkamp-hot-chocolate-raspberry-recipe" target="_new"><b>Raspberry Hot Chocolate</b></a> variation made with heavy cream and a touch of Chambord. The addition of the fruit liqueur will have you swear you're drinking a gooey, melted, raspberry-infused truffle.</p>
Courtesy of Food Network

Ask Aida how to make hot chocolate, and she'll steer you toward her grown-up Raspberry Hot Chocolate variation made with heavy cream and a touch of Chambord. The addition of the fruit liqueur will have you swear you're drinking a gooey, melted, raspberry-infused truffle.

4

Chef and Restaurateur Todd English

<p>If Elvis Presley were alive, he'd most certainly savor Todd English's dreamy iteration. Presley, known to have an affinity for banana and peanut butter sandwiches, often included bacon in his 
treat! English opts to leave out the swine in his <a href="/recipefinder/todd-english-hot-chocolate-peanut-butter-banana-recipe" target="_new"><b>peanut butter-banana version</b></a>. But he does recommend adding <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/homemade-marshmallows-3410%22target=%22_new%22%3E%3Cb%3Ehomemade marshmallows</b></a>. Yes, please!</p>
Courtesy of Todd English

If Elvis Presley were alive, he'd most certainly savor Todd English's dreamy iteration. Presley, known to have an affinity for banana and peanut butter sandwiches, often included bacon in his
treat! English opts to leave out the swine in his peanut butter-banana version. But he does recommend adding homemade marshmallows. Yes, please!

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5

Bouchon Bakery's Chef Sébastien Rouxel

<p>Great recipes begin with great ingredients. Of course at Thomas Keller's <a 
href="http://www.bouchonbakery.com"target="_new"><b>Bouchon Bakery</b></a>, Chef Sébastien Rouxel 
uses only the good stuff. His <a 
href="/recipefinder/bouchon-bakery-hot-chocolate" target="_new"><b>exquisite concoction</b></a> includes chocolate from Guittard, one of San Francisco's oldest and 
finest purveyors. But fine chocolate is not Rouxel's only weapon: His recipe incorporates toasted 
coriander seeds. You've got to taste it to believe it.</p>
Deborah Jones

Great recipes begin with great ingredients. Of course at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, Chef Sébastien Rouxel
uses only the good stuff. His exquisite concoction includes chocolate from Guittard, one of San Francisco's oldest and
finest purveyors. But fine chocolate is not Rouxel's only weapon: His recipe incorporates toasted
coriander seeds. You've got to taste it to believe it.

6

Mexican Chef Richard Sandoval

<p>Chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval taps his Latin-American roots for his <a href="/recipefinder/richard-sandoval-traditional-mexican-hot-chocolate-recipe" target="_new"><b>traditional Mexican recipe</b></a> sprinkled with chile and cinnamon. Sandoval notes the classic preparation is done inside a clay (or sometimes wood) pot called a <i>jarra chocolatera</i> that, because of its shape, results in a drink with a very foamy consistency. If you put in a little muscle, you can achieve the same frothy foam without the special jar.</p>
Courtesy of Modern Mexican

Chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval taps his Latin-American roots for his traditional Mexican recipe sprinkled with chile and cinnamon. Sandoval notes the classic preparation is done inside a clay (or sometimes wood) pot called a jarra chocolatera that, because of its shape, results in a drink with a very foamy consistency. If you put in a little muscle, you can achieve the same frothy foam without the special jar.

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7

Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man

<p>We love <a href="http://www.maxbrenner.com"target="_new"><b>Max Brenner</b></a>, the quirky chocolate-only restaurant chain. Yes, that's right: The entire menu, from savory to sweet, is laced with chocolate. At the shop, hot chocolate is served in a "Hug Mug" specially designed for cupping and easy drinking. But you won't miss this specially crafted utensil when you make <a href="/recipefinder/max-brenner-hot-white-chocolate-recipe" target="_new"><b>White Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Cream</b></a> at home, since its thick and creamy taste is sheer sensory pleasure.</p>
Tess Steinkolk

We love Max Brenner, the quirky chocolate-only restaurant chain. Yes, that's right: The entire menu, from savory to sweet, is laced with chocolate. At the shop, hot chocolate is served in a "Hug Mug" specially designed for cupping and easy drinking. But you won't miss this specially crafted utensil when you make White Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Cream at home, since its thick and creamy taste is sheer sensory pleasure.

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