12 Days of Christmas Treats – Winter White Edition
Day 9 – hot and spicy white chocolate
white chocolate and chai spices???
Whenever it is a cold and snowy day, all I can think of is hot chocolate! It has been my favorite cold weather treat for as long as I can remember. It is the perfect drink after a long snowy walk, ice skating, or after a long day at work. Not to mention that it has two of my favorite things – chocolate and milk. It is important to realize that when you grow up in Wisconsin, you have to LOVE milk! I usually enjoy regular hot chocolate, but this year I decided to experiment with some new flavors. Specifically, white chocolate and chai spices.
hot and spicy white chocolate
don’t you love when your kitchen fills with warm and spicy seasonings?
Chai tea is another warm drink that I love to pick up at our local coffee shops. There is something so warm and inviting about aromatic spices mixed into a hot drink. So…. that is when I decided to mix my two favorite winter drinks. An updated spicy version of the traditional classic that I have loved and enjoyed for so many years.
The first step in preparing hot and spicy hot chocolate is to heat some milk and white chocolate in a pan on your stove. The fun really begins after your chocolate has melted and your milk is steamy. I started by adding some cinnamon and ground cloves to the white chocolate and milk mixture. My kitchen instantly filled with a sweet and spicy aroma! I wanted to spice things up a little more, and that is when I remembered star anise. The perfect licorice flavor to add to my new hot chocolate.
have you ever tried white chocolate liquor?
One more idea popped into my head as the seasonings were simmering. Specifically white chocolate liquor! My warm and spicy drink has now become a delicious dessert. It is the perfect decadent treat to serve to your winter book club, Christmas gathering with friends, or just a plain old Tuesday night. You decide if you want to add a splash of white chocolate liquor or not. We’ve all been so good all year, so why not?
hot and spicy white chocolate
when the winter winds are howling, try this updated version of your favorite classic! white chocolate and chai spices and white chocolae liquor to spice things up!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10-15 minutes
- Yield: 2 large or 4 small mugs 1x
- Category: drink
- Method: cook top
Ingredients
4 cups of milk
8 oz. of white chocolate broken into chunks (I use 4 oz of a white chocolate bar and 4 oz of white chocolate chips)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp of ground cloves
2 star anise
Optional ingredient: 2 TB white chocolate liquor
Optional garnish: cinnamon stick
Instructions
Pour milk and broken pieces of white chocolate in a medium sauce pan
Heat on medium-high until chocolate is melted and milk is steamy – stirring occasionally
Add cinnamon, ground cloves, and 2 whole star anise
Cook for 5 minutes
Remove from heat and remove star anise from pan
Pour in mugs
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