The Best Recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate With Red Wine (2024)

FAQs

What is the common ingredient in chocolate and red wine? ›

For example, both chocolate and wine have tannins in them. These polyphenols are the reason your mouth dries out after taking a sip of dry red wine or eating a morsel of dark chocolate.

Both red and white wines can be paired with chocolates. In general, if the chocolate is sweet, the wine should be sweeter to wash down the palate. If you are just starting to learn about wine chocolate pairing, start by pairing light wines with lighter chocolates and then move forward.

Adding a splash of alcohol like rum, brandy, or whisky can transform your hot chocolate into a truly indulgent and sophisticated drink.

In small saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate and wine. Whisk until chocolate is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add milk and honey; increase heat to medium-low and continue to heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and pour into small cups for serving.

Some research has shown that antioxidant polyphenols, including resveratrol, may have anti-inflammatory properties and improve cardiac health. Both red wine and cacao—the unprocessed source of chocolate—have high amounts of polyphenols. Research in mice has shown large amounts of resveratrol improve cardiac health.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot are winners. For higher cacao percentages, you may have to go for sweeter wines that balance the bitterness. Some ideas are Ruby Port or Italian dessert wine.

Boekenhoutskloof's The Chocolate Block is one of the most popular wines coming from South Africa. A blend of Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Viognier.

An easy way to add extra flavor to any cup of cocoa—be it out of the box or homemade—is to add a touch of your favorite spices. A sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg or even cayenne can all be welcome warming additions.

What thickens hot chocolate? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), baked or simmered dishes that contain alcohol will retain 40% of the original amount after 15 minutes of cooking, 35% after 30 minutes and 25% after an hour. But there's no point at which all of the alcohol disappears.

This is Kahlua hot cocoa is my favorite hot cocoa. Others chose to add Baileys to the cocoa. Baileys hot chocolate is a smooth combination of the hot cocoa with Irish cream to create a boozy hot chocolate that may be way too easy to drink.

Wine is more like Chocolate than most people think. They are both from a fruit and are fermented as a part of the creation process. There are important “flavor notes” for both (when chocolate is pure). Both present unique and interesting flavor profiles.

Tannins. Tannins are polyphenolic compounds found in both wine (especially red wines) and dark chocolate. In wine, tannins contribute to the structure, complexity, and astringency, often giving a drying sensation in the mouth.

Researchers at the University of Exeter and the University of Brighton in the UK have recently concluded that old human cells can undergo rejuvenation after exposure to chemicals like resveratrol, a substance that is present in red wine, as well as dark chocolate.

A wine lover might actually be identifying a chemical compound shared with cherries or chocolate, compounds like esters, pyrazines, terpenes, thiols, lactones and more. The influence of specific fermentation yeasts and oak barrels can introduce even more flavors and aromas.