Orange Almond Cocoa (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
High-quality white chocolate with minimum 30% cocoa butter
02 -
Full-fat cream
03 -
Zest from an unwaxed orange
04 -
Vanilla pod, fresh
05 -
Almond paste, unsweetened
06 -
Cinnamon, ground
07 -
Warm milk for serving
→ Optional Toppings
08 -
Lightly whipped cream
09 -
Twists of orange zest
10 -
A dash of cinnamon
11 -
Chopped almonds
# Instructions:
01 -
In a small pot, mix the cream with orange zest, vanilla pod (scraped and added), and cinnamon. Heat it slowly until it’s just on the edge of boiling, then turn off the heat and set it aside, covered, for 15-20 minutes to soak up the flavors.
02 -
Cut the white chocolate into very small pieces and put it in a heat-safe bowl. Break up the almond paste and add it to the bowl with the chocolate.
03 -
Use a fine sieve to strain the infused cream to remove all the zest and vanilla pod pieces. Pour the strained cream back into the pot and gently heat it until it’s warm again.
04 -
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and almond paste in the bowl. Let it sit undisturbed for about a minute, then whisk until everything is silky smooth and blended. If pieces of chocolate don’t melt completely, you can warm the bowl over a pot with barely simmering water.
05 -
Leave the ganache mixture out until it’s no longer warm. If you aren’t using it right away, cover it and store it in the fridge for up to one week.
06 -
For a single cup, heat up 1 cup of milk until it’s steaming (not boiling). Stir in about 3-4 tablespoons of the chilled ganache base until it’s fully combined and velvety.
07 -
Pour the hot cocoa into mugs and top with anything you like—whipped cream, orange zest, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or crunchy almond bits.
# Notes:
01 -
You can prepare the ganache base ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. It makes fancy hot chocolate super quick.
02 -
Only use top-quality white chocolate with at least 30% cocoa butter to get the best taste and texture.
03 -
Make sure your oranges are unwaxed so their zest is full of fragrance and safe to use.
04 -
Fresh vanilla beans give a richer flavor compared to extract. Look for ones that are plump and moist.
05 -
Stick with pure almond paste for deep nutty flavors. Avoid marzipan as it’s too sweet.