Hot Chocolate Tray

Elevate your hot chocolate game and beat the winter blues with a fun activity for the whole family. Whether you prefer flavors of peppermint, caramel, or cayenne, creativity will come alive as you make your own bespoke hot chocolate creations. You can also try our Spiked Hot Chocolate with this recipe, if you want a splash of booze.

What is the History of Hot Chocolate?

Hot chocolate’s origins can be traced back thousands of years to the Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec cultures of Mexico and Central America. The cocoa plant originates in South America, and then the Spanish brought cocoa beans and the tools for making chocolate to Europe in the early 1500s. The drink remained a treat for nobility, but by the 17th century, it spread across Europe for wider consumption. Nowadays, there are hot chocolate recipes all around the world, from Japan to Great Britain. The British way of making it is to mix it with milk instead of water. This creamier version became a luxury in coffeehouses. 

Hot Chocolate Tray

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• Author: Selina Progar

Print Recipe

Description

Indulge in a full tray!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the chocolate: 

• Pizzelles
• Homemade marshmallows
• Macarons
• Cookies
• Biscotti
• Caramel popcorn
• Pirouette® rolled wafers

For the hot chocolate:

• 4 oz Ghirardelli chocolate
• 16 oz milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp brown sugar

For mint:

• 1 tsp mint extract

For wicked:

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

For cinnamon:

• 2 tsp cinnamon

For mocha:

• 2 packets instant coffee

For caramel:

• 3 tbsp caramel sauce

For marshmallows:

• 2 packets gelatin
• 2 oz cold water
• 7 oz + 1 tbsp sugar
• 12 oz corn syrup
• 3 egg whites

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Instructions

For the hot chocolate:

1. Chop chocolate and place in a large mug.
2. Bring milk, salt, and brown sugar to a boil and pour over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute and stir.

For marshmallows:

1. Spray sheet tray with pan spray and line with parchment paper and spray again.
   Bloom gelatin by putting water in a small bowl and sprinkling gelatin powder over water. Set aside.
2. Boil 7 ounces of sugar, corn syrup, and water to 240 degrees.
3. Once sugar has reached 230 degrees, whip egg whites on high speed to soft peak and slowly add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Continue to whip until it reaches stiff peaks; it will be opaque white. Do not turn off mixer.
4. Once the sugar has reached 240 degrees, add the bloomed gelatin and stir to make sure it’s all melted.
5. As the whip is mixing, pour the sugar syrup down the side of the mixer. Try not to hit the whisk. Whip on high speed for 10 minutes.
6. Pour onto prepared sheet tray. Place into fridge until set. Cut into desired size with a chef knife that is dipped into a hot water bath.

Story by Lindsay Anne Herring
Recipe by Selina Progar
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
Chocolate courtesy of Mon Aimee Chocolat

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