Bone Broth Is The Unexpected Way To Spice Up The Taste Of Hot Chocolate
If hot chocolate doesn't sound like an exciting enough beverage on its own, there are endless ways to spice it up. You can add literal spices, like cayenne and chili powder, or tasty ingredients that upgrade your mug, such as sweetened condensed milk and Grand Marnier. But if you've only focused thus far on switching up mix-ins, and not the liquid base for your hot chocolate, you may be missing out. Surprisingly enough, including some bone broth in your drink can make for a seriously tasty cup.
Why do bone broth and hot chocolate mix so well? Typically, the former has a subtly salty flavor and has been lightly seasoned, so by mixing it with dessert ingredients like cocoa powder and sugar (or maple syrup), you can create a tasty sweet-savory juxtaposition. Plus, you may find spicier ingredients like black peppercorn in your broth, which can help satisfy that craving for heat — but because the taste of bone broth is so subtle, it won't overpower your beverage. And although hot chocolate is a dessert drink, you'll be adding nutritious value in the form of collagen, protein, and a little bit of iron.
How to incorporate bone broth into hot chocolate
If using bone broth as the base for your hot chocolate sounds a little unappetizing, it doesn't have to be the only liquid in your drink. If you normally stir a packet into a mug of hot water, you'll likely want to start with milk as your base to keep the bone broth flavor subtle.
To kick off your hot chocolate, warm up a mixture of the broth and milk in a saucepan, stirring often so that the latter doesn't burn. You can go with any type of broth that suits your tastebuds, but note that some cartons focus more heavily on flavors that could be delicious with hot chocolate, like turmeric, cayenne, chipotle, or chili. Feel free to pair it with the milk of your choice, which could include whole, coconut, or almond.
Once your liquids are warm, you can stir in the remaining ingredients like cocoa powder (or chocolate squares), maple syrup, and vanilla extract. You can even toss in extra mix-ins that complement the slightly savory nature of your drink, such as cinnamon, sea salt, instant coffee, or collagen powder. But to keep this drink squarely in dessert territory, don't forget the obligatory whipped cream or marshmallow topping.