Hot Chocolate Bar – Creating Magic
Hot Chocolate Bar Life
Jazz up your life a little with a hot chocolate bar to be enjoyed by you and your family if you dare to share 😉
Hot chocolate is a decadent treat that I don’t hesitate to consume especially in the Fall & Winter. Currently, there is the Hot Chocolate Festival going on in Metro Vancouver, which I am loving participating in. We don’t go very often, but we pick some of our favourite spots to hit and grab over the weekends.
If you’re in Metro Vancouver and you had no idea this was happening, you have to check out the restaurants that are participating and hit them up. A little decadent treat for you, and a great way to show your support for the local businesses that are doing whatever they can to stay afloat.
In honour of National Hot Chocolate Day, I wanted to share with you creating a hot chocolate bar and making a decadent hot chocolate from scratch.
Hot chocolate is a treat for me, but I won’t ever deny myself the opportunity to indulge. I did do into detail with my Guilt Free Mindfulness post over the holidays. I’m telling you; guilt-free, year-round!
I am not a fan of cow’s milk so I choose to use oat milk instead of normal cow’s milk. I use the same ratio, and trust me you don’t even notice a difference.
We’re pretty simple people in this household, but you won’t find me drinking a hot chocolate without marshmallows. You just absolutely will not. No way, no how.
Coffee and chocolate go really well together, so i’ll always add in some espresso. Coffee doesn’t keep either of us up at night, so if I choose to add coffee, I don’t affect my sleep pattern.
Alright gang, let’s create a hot chocolate bar, and treat ourselves to the max!
Creamy Hot Cocoa Recipe
Directions
If you’re in the mood for something seasonal, you can add peppermint extract over the Christmas season. You could add pumpkin spices if you prefer to make your hot chocolate basic 😉 Add some additional flavour by adding in some mini chips such as caramel.
1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, and pinch of salt with boiling water in a saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a low boil while whisking.
3. Whisk in the milk or milk alternative but not to a boil.
4. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla and espresso.
5. Whisk for a minute or two, until frothy with the cream (if you’re adding cream, but still whisk for that froth)
If you prefer to put marshmallows in your mug before adding the hot cocoa, now is the time!
Enter The Hot Chocolate Bar
If you have never done up a hot chocolate bar before, this will change your life.
This is a fun activity with kids – just be prepared for the mess and sugar high!
Having a party? Put together a hot chocolate bar – booze is suggested, but not required.
Need a fun date night idea, especially when we’re all in various stages of quarantine/isolation/lockdown? The hot chocolate bar is suggested and a great way to have date night on a budget.
Helping a friend get through a rough patch? Ice cream in one hand, and hot cocoa in the other. Add Baileys, espresso vodka, or anything else that may be required.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone that’ll turn down a scrumptious-looking hot chocolate bar.
What should be part of my hot cocoa bar?
Putting The Hot Chocolate Bar Together
This is where I tell you that there are no rules. It’ll all depend on what kind of treats you want as part of your hot cocoa bar. I do however put everything out in bowls or jars, with our two big mugs out, where Jason and I can pick what we want to put in our cocoa.
Here is our latest hot chocolate bar spread:
Dress up your hot chocolate however you want to, cozy up, and turn a movie on. Satisfy any and all sweet cravings with one decadent cup of hot cocoa! Tag me in your IG posts so I can live vicariously through you since there’s not bound to be another hot cocoa bar in this house for at least a couple of months.
Check out the video to follow along with the process. Happy sugar coma times!
