A mug of hot steaming cocoa is a much-beloved winter months treat in our house especially during the holidays. It’s so much fun to sit by the fire and the Christmas tree with kids and watch them scoop out the whipped cream, baby marshmallows and sprinkles. This hot cocoa is more grown up with it’s chai tea vibe and I personally forgo the marshmallows and sprinkles but am a sucker for freshly made whipped cream. I will say, I mostly use the plant-based and ready made Truwhip which is made from coconut milk , every now and again I have to go for traditional home made chilled whipped cream. I do prefer raw whipping cream made by Organic Pastures in lieu of its pasteurized counter part. It really hits the spot for me. This cocoa is infused with warming Indian spices like cardamom, cloves, ginger, black pepper and nutmeg and goes great with Pistachio Date Any Time Tea Cookies. Just dunk them into the delicious, rich beverage. It also has two teaspoons of Reishi Mushroom powder, a medicinal mushroom which is shown to enhance immunity. Perfect for the times. If you do not do any cow dairy whatsoever, stick to dairy free whipped cream or drink it without the cream. Still, totally delicious. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or some cocoa nibs. Relax, this Christmas Eve with a warming, healthy and delicious cup of chai hot cocoa.

Serves 4 / Prep time 5 minutes / Cook time 15 minutes / Total time 20 minutes

Gather

For the Chai Hot Cocoa

3 cups/ 750 ml almond milk

1 cup/250 ml water

3 tablespoons/ 42.52 g cocoa powder

2 cinnamon sticks

5 cardamom pods, cracked open

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.84 g ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon / 2.84 g black pepper corns

Pinch ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon /1.42 g ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons / 9.86 g vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean sliced open)

4 ounces/ 110 grams bittersweet (60%percent cacao) sugar free grated chocolate or chocolate chips

2 teaspoons / 11.8 g of Reishi powder

2 tablespoons / 28.3 g monk fruit sweetener

For the Whipped Cream

2 cups/ 500 ml heavy cream

2 tablespoons / 28.3 g monk fruit sweetener 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Make the whipped cream (you can make this ahead)

Place a medium mixing  and the beaters of an electric mixer into the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes. Then pour the cream into the chilled bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium high until the cream starts thickening a bit. Add the monk fruit sweetener, vanilla extract and salt and whip the cream on high until soft peaks form. Place in the fridge while you make the chai hot cocoa. 

Make

The Chai Hot Cocoa

Combine the almond milk, water, cocoa powder,, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and seeds, ground ginger, black pepper corns, ground cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until scalding but don’t let it boil over. Remove the mixture from the heat and let the spices steep for 10 minutes. Strain it into a medium bowl and then transfer the cocoa mixture back to the saucepan and heat over medium heat till scalding again.

Add the grated chocolate or chocolate chips, Reishi powder and monk fruit sweetener and lower the heat. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and incorporated. Strain it one more time into a bowl and then transfer back to the saucepan and then into 4 individual mugs or cups. Top with a dollop of whip cream.

Developed by Anna Getty of Amalgam Kitchen.

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