Recipe: Jamie Oliver's ultimate hot chocolate: Thermomix

Not a good photo - far too dark.  it gives you the general idea though.

This is NOT frugal in the sense that you might have to buy things for it.  I had to get the dark chocolate and the Horlicks.  Having said that, it is far, far better than any hot chocolate I have ever tasted in any restaurant or other type of eating place, even in its basic, unadorned state, so in that respect is it brilliant value!  It is thick, creamy, clings to the inside of your mouth just enough to be wonderful and the flavour - oh, the flavour.

It isn't healthy - unless you subscribe to the 'dark chocolate adds years to your life' school of thought.

You can find it all over the Internet, such as here and here so I won't bother to reproduce it, I will describe how I made it in Thermione.

Ingredients to make enough for 16 servings (it says) - I made half quantities.
200g quality dark chocolate (70%)
100g good cocoa powder
100g icing sugar
50g cornflour
50g Horlicks
a pinch of sea salt

Thermomix method.

Place the chocolate in the fridge for a couple of hours to chill thoroughly.

Put the sugar in the bowl and blitz on pulse until it becomes icing sugar.  Set aside.
Cut the chocolate into bits (I used a knife so my hands didn't warm it) and pulse until it is fine.
Add the sugar and the remaining ingredients and pulse again until nicely mixed.

Decant into an airtight jar and keep in a cool place.

To make the drink.
Spoon into the bowl two heaped tbsps of the powder (give the jar a shake first) and pour over one mug of milk.
Mix it on 6 for about five seconds.

Heat on 90/ speed 6 for around five or six minutes, until it hits temperature and then cooks for a minute.  I didn't time it exactly, I'm afraid.

Pour back into the mug and enjoy.

I had it just like that and a mug was almost too much as it is gorgeously rich.  Next time I will use one heaped tbsp and a cup of milk (my cups aren't huge).

Also next time I might add a good pinch of cinnamon.  it would be wonderful with a dollop of cream and more grated chocolate or with marshmallows or nutmeg or orange or lemon zest or . . . oh, you get the idea.

It will also be fantastic as a Christmas present in a pretty jar with lots of additions.