I embrace the cold winter months by indulging in a warm cup hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is an essential drink for me in winter and it’s so comforting.

I like to try new flavors and spice up the original hot chocolate. The most important part is obviously the chocolate. Make sure to get the best chocolate you can as this will make a huge difference. For this recipe I’m using white chocolate from Callebaut (amazon)

This time I decided to try a recipe combining white chocolate orange and almond. With just touch of cinnamon. 

I love the combination of the sweet white chocolate paired with the zesty and fruity orange. I added some almond paste which rounds out the flavor perfectly.

 It adds a slight nutty flavor and also adds a wonderful creaminess. A pinch of cinnamon is a must and the perfect harmony in this drink. 

This recipe is made with a ganache as a base, which I let infuse for a few hours or better yet overnight so it can really intensify in flavor. 

It comes together super quickly and it can also be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge so you can easily make a cup whenever you feel like it. 

(Makes enough for about 3-4 cups)

120g white chococolate (I used  white chocolate from Callebaut (amazon))
1 vanilla bean (my preferred brand is “Vanilla Dream”) 
60g heavy cream
30g orange juice 
30g almond paste (I use Felchlin “Valencia” paste) 
good pinch of cinnamon (0.4g)
Zest of 1 large orange

Instructions:

Melt the chocolate, almond paste over a Bain Marie until melted. Set aside

In a small pot mix the heavy cream, orange zest, the vanilla bean-scraped and the pinch of cinnamon. 

Bring to a light simmer and immediately remove from the heat. Let it infused for 10-15 minutes. 

(I love to use a Microplane zester (amazon) to get the finest and best part of the zest so you don’t have to sieve out the peel. This way you are able to keep more flavor in the ganache. )

Add the infused cream into the melted chocolate and emulsify with a hand blender (amazon). While emulsifying pour in the orange juice little by little. Hand blend until you have a smooth and shiny ganache.

Let it set in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

300g milk of choice ( I used Alpro oat milk as I prefer to have a lighter milk that enhances the flavor of the orange better)

30g whipped cream (optional) 

Dusting of cinnamon and orange zest

Orange wedge for decoration

Once your ganache has set heat up your milk to about 85°C. Add about 50g of ganache (or more if you like it sweeter) and blend until you get a smooth and slightly frothy hot chocolate. I like to use either the hand blender (amazon) if im making just one cup for myself or if I have more to make then use a larger blender (amazon)

Garnish with the whipped cream, cinnamon, orange zest and orange wedge. Enjoy! 

Happy cocoa making!