When the temperatures drop there is nothing better than a comforting and creamy hot chocolate. This is by far my favourite dairy free hot chocolate recipe. As you probably know by now coffee and chocolate is by far one of my favourite combination. For this recipe I went all out and used Goodio coffee chocolate. The result is an utterly silky, decadent and glossy hot chocolate which will brighten up any grey day. To make this hot chocolate even more decadent whip up some coconut cream and I promise you will be in heaven!
For the hot chocolate (serves 2):
2,5 dl (1 cup) of raw hazelnuts soaked for at least 8 hours or overnight
5 dl (2 cups) of filtered water
1 bar (48 g) of Goodio Coffee Chocolate melted
1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon of strong brewed black coffee ( you can use more if you want a stronger coffee taste)
2-3 pitted dates (add more if you like it sweeter)
a pinch of pink Himalayan salt
For the coconut whipped cream:
1 can of full fat coconut cream chilled in the fridge overnight (this is a very important step, please don’t skip it!)
A teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of agave nectar or maple syrup
Optional:
Serve with some cacao nibs and extra chocolate grated
Drain and rinse the hazelnuts. Place them in a blender with the 2 cup of filtered water and the pitted dates. Blend until the nuts are completely broken down and you have a creamy and white kind of milk. Using a nut milk bag or a muslin cloth strain the milk. Lay the cloth on a large bowl, pour the milk mixture in the middle, squeeze all the liquid out until you are left with just the nut pulp.
Rinse the blender. Place the hazelnut milk, melted chocolate, coffee, cacao powder and the pinch of salt into the blender and blend until you have a super smooth and creamy consistency. I didn’t add any extra sweetener but feel free to add a squeeze of maple syrup or agave nectar if needed.
Transfer the chocolate to a pan on a medium heat. Warm up the chocolate for about 5-10 minutes. Using a whisk stir from time to time to make sure it doesn’t burn.
To make the whipped coconut cream:
Remove the coconut milk from the fridge. With a spoon scoop out the thick creamy layer which should have formed top. Don’t use the liquid/watery part (you can use it in smoothies or curries)
Place the coconut cream in a deep mixing bowl and with an electric whisker work the cream for at least 5 minutes. You should have a fluffy, airy kind of cream at the end. If not keep whisking.
To serve pour the chocolate into glasses or mug and top with a generous dollop of the coconut cream, cacao nibs and grated chocolate.
Recipe by Elisa Rossi