Christmas hot chocolate

I think this recipe has become my grown-up madeleine de Proust.

In my family, Christmas Eve is usually spent around a generous table of small bites and nibbles, a joyful evening filled with anticipation.

A few years ago, my mother decided to swap the traditional dessert for an array of little sweet treats… and among them, tiny cups of hot chocolate infused with Christmas spices.

What a revelation! Comforting, warming, and festive all at once.

Since then, I no longer wait for December 24th to enjoy it.

I love preparing it as soon as winter settles in, whenever I need a little sweetness or an early taste of celebration.

And today, I couldn’t be happier to share this recipe with you, hoping it will become a cosy ritual in your home too.

To make this hot chocolate, you’ll need about 100 g of good dark chocolate, the milk you prefer (I like to use less so the chocolate stays rich and intense, but feel free to adjust), two tablespoons of brown sugar or even better, muscovado sugar, two star anise pods, and one tonka bean.

Melt the chocolate gently with a splash of water, then stir in the sugar.

Take your favorite whisk and slowly pour in the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth and silky.

Add the star anise and grate in about half of the tonka bean.

Taste as you go, you might like to leave the star anise to infuse a little longer

or add more tonka for a stronger aroma.

Serve steaming hot, pure comfort in a cup.

And if you’re in the mood for indulgence, top it with a swirl of whipped cream. ✨

A little secret of mine:

sometimes I swap the sugar for a spoonful of chestnut honey… it’s heavenly.