Chocolate Citrus Almond Drink (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
Fresh vanilla bean pod
02 -
Unwaxed orange for zesting
03 -
Rich almond paste
04 -
Heavy cream
05 -
High-quality white chocolate with at least 30% cocoa butter
06 -
Cinnamon powder
07 -
Milk for drinking
→ Optional Garnishes
08 -
Almond slices
09 -
Zest curls from orange
10 -
Cinnamon dusting
11 -
A dollop of whipped cream
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat some cream in a small pot along with orange zest, the scraped vanilla bean (use the seeds and the pod), and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Take it off the heat as soon as it starts to simmer. Cover it up and let it sit for 15-20 minutes so the flavors mix together.
02 -
Chop up the white chocolate into tiny pieces and toss it in a bowl that can handle heat. Add chunks of the almond paste into the same bowl.
03 -
Pour the steeped cream through a fine strainer to get rid of the zest and vanilla bits. Then, reheat the cream in the same pot until it just starts to steam again.
04 -
Pour the hot cream on top of the chocolate and almond paste in your heatproof bowl. Let it sit untouched for a minute. Then, whisk gently until the texture is silky and blended. If the chocolate hasn’t melted completely, place the bowl over a pot of barely steaming water until smooth.
05 -
Leave the mixture on the counter until it reaches room temperature. If you’re saving it for later, put it in a container with a tight lid and stash it in the fridge for up to a week.
06 -
Warm up 1 cup of milk for every serving you want. Don’t let it boil. Mix in 3-4 big spoonfuls of the creamy mixture, stirring until it’s smooth and blended.
07 -
Serve in your favorite mug. Add extras like whipped cream, orange zest curls, almond slices, or a pinch of cinnamon on top, if you like.
# Notes:
01 -
Make the creamy base ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a week so you can have fancy hot cocoa whenever.
02 -
Pick white chocolate with plenty of cocoa butter—30% or more gives the best flavor and texture.
03 -
Look for unwaxed oranges since you’ll be using their zest; their natural oils are key to the taste.
04 -
Fresh vanilla beans add a deeper flavor compared to an extract. Choose ones that look moist and plump.
05 -
Pure almond paste keeps the flavors nutty and smooth. Skip marzipan since it’s too sugary.