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Get cozy with these 3 creative hot drinks

With winter fast approaching, it's time to make ourselves more comfortable at home: Light some candles, get the fireplace going or get ready to relax with a good book and some fuzzy socks. Now what's more heartwarming than a freshly brewed hot drink? We've collected some recipes for those of you who want to make the classics from scratch or try something new and fun!

SNOWMAN HOT CHOCOLATE

If you are the creative kind in the kitchen (or just like marshmallows), this playful take on the classic hot chocolate might be for you. And if you have kids in your life, it's also a fun project to prepare together. 

The recipe below is a mere inspiration, of course you can design your snowman (or snow woman?) just the way you want and use all kinds of decoration materials.

What you need

For the hot chocolate   

  • 250 ml milk
  • 25 g dark chocolate (70 %)
  • 1 tsp organic honey

For the snowman

  • 3 large and some smaller marshmallows
  • chocolate sticks (like Mikado) or pretzel sticks
  • chocolate writing icing
  • toothpicks or 15 g melted chocolate for assembling
  • optional: a large chocolate button, choc bites, orange icing, candied fruit or other sweet decoration items

How it works

  1. To form the snowman's body, stick the 3 large marshmallows together, either using toothpicks or
    melted chocolate. 
  2. Draw eyes, mouth, buttons etc. with the chocolate icing. For the carrot nose, you can get creative and either use orange icing or a little piece of candied fruit.
  3. If you're feeling extra artsy, make a hat by sticking a chocolate button and choc bite together with some melted chocolate and stick it on the snowman using chocolate melt as well.
  4. If using melted chocolate to fuse the parts together, put the snowman in the fridge for 10 minutes
     in order for the chocolate to set.
  5. Add the arms and legs byusing pieces of chocolate sticks or pretzel sticks.
  6. For the hot chocolate, heat the milk and honey in a small saucepan, add in the dark chocolate and
    stir over a medium heat until the chocolate is melted (it goes faster if you chop up the chocolate first). Whisk until smooth.
  7. Pour into a mug and let the snowman have a bath!

Recipe inspired by Snowman Hot Chocolate: Christmas in a Cup (rte.ie)

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

More than just a trend at Starbucks or on Instagram, the pumpkin spice latte is basically autumn in a cup. If you want to avoid artificial flavours, you should give this homemade recipe a try! 

While it involves a little more prep work initially, you can store the two main ingredients for later indulgence. Make it your own as well by substituting coffee with cocoa or milk with dairy-free alternatives. Top with whipped cream for an extra 'oomph'.

What you need

For approx. 120 g spice mix

  • 4 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • 4 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 4 tsp ginger powder
  • 3 tsp clove powder or clove pepper

For the latte

  • espressomilk 
  • agave syrup
  • 1 organic pumpkin squash
  • 1 tbsp spice mix

How it works

  1. For the pumpkin puree, cut the pumpkin in half and de-seed, then cut into chunks. You can either
    cook it in the pre-heated oven (40 minutes at 160°C) or the microwave (2 minutes at 850-1,000 watts).  
  2. Now it's easy to separate the flesh from the skin. Use a blender or food processor to make the
    puree. You can freeze portions to have fresh pumpkin puree whenever you need it – for latte, pancakes, cake batter and more. 
  3. Mix up the ingredients for the spice mix and put it in a small jar so you can store the rest for later.
  4. Mix 1 tbsp of the spice mix with agave syrup (how much syrup depends on how sweet you would like your latte to be). 
  5. Put 1-2 tbsp puree and the syrup mix in a large latte glass or mug. 
  6. Top up with an espresso, then add 210-250 ml frothed milk.  
  7. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top and enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Pumpkin Spice Latte selber machen | EAT SMARTER

MASALA CHAI

'Masala Chai' is Hindi for spiced tea, originating not only from India but many South Asian countries. It is enjoyed all around the world today and always consists of the four components tea, milk, sweetener and spices.

There are many slightly varying recipes, but we think this one offers a great balance between sweet and spicy. Plus, fresh ginger is a great immune booster on cold days!

What you need

  • black tea
  • milk (dairy-free milk works as well)
  • sweetener (like honey or  maple syrup)
  • 1 fresh ginger 
  • cinnamon sticks
  • cloves
  • cardamom seeds
  • black peppercorns

How it works

  1. Crush the spices (cloves, cardamom, black pepper) with a mortar and pestle (or with a heavy pan on a cutting board). Alternatively, you can use the powder versions of the spices – however, freshly crushing the spices open makes for a stronger infusion.
  2. Heat some water in a saucepan and add the crushed spices, cinnamon and some freshly grated ginger. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
  3. Infuse the black tea with  the spicy water, then add milk and let it brew for another 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you'd like your chai to be.
  4. Add your sweetener of choice, strain into a cup and enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Easy Masala Chai Recipe - Minimalist Baker Recipes