The Northern tier, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic states are all seeing a cool Halloween this year. Some of us may also be seeing rain. With that in mind, a warming pumpkin flavored hot chocolate is in order. This recipe uses real pumpkin puree to get the pumpkin part of the popular pumpkin spice flavor, along with a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to obtain the spice part of it. The only hitch is the chocolate part. White chocolate is not actually chocolate. Here’s why that is.
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that are harvested, ground up, and then liquefied to become chocolate liquor. The liquor is processed into cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Different combinations of the cocoa solids and cocoa butter with other ingredients make the various types of chocolate. Dark chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa solids and cocoa butter with the added ingredient of sugar. Milk chocolate contains milk powder, sugar, and a smaller percentage of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. As for white chocolate, it doesn’t contain cocoa solids at all, only sugar, milk, and a small quantity of cocoa butter. The absence of cocoa solids is the technicality that makes white chocolate not actually “chocolate.” The solids are required for something to officially be considered chocolate. So white chocolate is not actually chocolate.
But that’s okay. The purpose of this post is to provide a hot drink in the Halloween spirit. The pumpkin & spice flavors fit the theme nicely and this treat is delicious, even if it is not technically chocolate!
Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 8 cups milk
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup white baking chips
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream & pumpkin pie spice for serving
Directions:
In a large stockpot, heat the milk, cream, cinnamon sticks, pie spice, and orange zest over medium heat until bubbles form around the sides of the pot.
Add the spices & orange zest to the milk and cream.
Whisk the pumpkin, sugar, and baking chips into the milk mixture until they are blended.
Add in the pumpkin, sugar, and white chocolate.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Pour the hot chocolate into mugs. Serve immediately with whipped cream and additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired. Any leftover white hot chocolate can be refrigerated, then reheated in the microwave.
Deliciously warming & pumpkin-y!
Happy Halloween! ~Linda
Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Makes: about 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 8 cups milk
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup white baking chips
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream & pumpkin pie spice for serving
Directions:
In a large stockpot, heat the milk, cream, cinnamon sticks, pie spice, and orange zest over medium heat until bubbles form around the sides of the pot.
Whisk the pumpkin, sugar, and baking chips into the milk mixture until they are blended. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Pour the hot chocolate into mugs. Serve immediately with whipped cream and additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired. Any leftover white hot chocolate can be refrigerated, then reheated in the microwave.