To help come to terms with the onset of Winter, I've been developing some delicious hot chocolate recipes, which I will share with you over the next few months. First up we have the Orange, Cinnamon & Juniper...
Ingredients (serves two)
300ml oat milk (you can use a different kind of milk if you like, but oat gives the best flavour)
1 orange
2 cinnamon sticks
8 juniper berries, chopped in half
Instructions
1. Wash your orange and then remove the rind, either with a peeler or a sharp knife.
2. Put the orange rind, juniper berries, cinnamon sticks and milk into a saucepan, making sure to put the lid on. Heat the milk until it starts to bubble, then turn off the heat and leave the pan on the stove top for 45 minutes.
3. Remove the orange rind, juniper berries and cinnamon sticks from the milk. You can scoop them out with a slotted spoon or use a sieve.
4. Return the milk to the stove and bring it back up to almost-boiling point.
5. Add in the drinking chocolate and stir vigorously until the chocolate is fully dissolved. When you use real chocolate like this it takes longer to mix together than a cheap hot chocolate powder. You will need to keep it on the heat for a few minutes whilst you stir.
6. Serve in small cups. Garnish with a piece of orange and a cinnamon stick, if you're feeling fancy.
This recipe is designed to be served in small, intense doses. If you'd prefer a larger cup of less intense hot chocolate, simply add a bit more milk.