White Chocolate Orange Hot Cocoa
This White Chocolate Orange Hot Cocoa is rich, creamy, and full of bright citrus flavor. White chocolate, fresh orange, almond paste, vanilla, and cinnamon come together to make an extra-special homemade hot chocolate. Make the orange white chocolate ganache ahead of time, then simply blend it with hot milk whenever you want a cozy cup.
Servings: 3
Ingredients
- 120 grams white chocolate
- 1 vanilla bean
- 60 grams heavy cream
- 30 grams orange juice
- 30 grams almond paste
- 0.4 gram cinnamon or a good pinch
- 1 Orange zest large
- 300 grams milk of choice per cup
- 50 grams orange white chocolate ganache or more to taste, per cup
- 30 grams whipped cream optional
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon for topping
- 1/4 tsp Orange zest for topping
- 1 Orange wedge small, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate and almond paste together in a heatproof bowl set over a bain-marie. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat.
- Add the heavy cream, orange zest, scraped vanilla bean, and cinnamon to a small saucepan. Bring to a light simmer, immediately remove from the heat, and let the mixture infuse for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour the infused cream into the melted white chocolate and almond paste. Blend with a hand blender until combined.
- Slowly pour in the orange juice while continuing to blend. Keep blending until the ganache is smooth, shiny, and creamy.
- Refrigerate the ganache for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
- To make one cup of hot cocoa, heat 300g of milk to about 85°C.
- Add about 50g of the prepared ganache to the hot milk and blend until smooth and slightly frothy. Add more ganache if you prefer a sweeter and richer drink.
- Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream, if desired. Finish with cinnamon, orange zest, and an orange wedge before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the ganache overnight gives the orange, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors more time to develop.
- Add extra ganache for a sweeter, richer cup of hot cocoa.