Peppery Hot Chocolate
By OcadoLife
Published on 07 April 2022
Deliciously indulgent and dairy-free, this hot chocolate recipe is laced with punchy peppercorns for an unusual twist on the comforting classic. Written by trend-setting drinks expert Ryan Chetiyawardana, you can either opt for a cocktail-style version made with whisky or use a non-alcoholic spirit, if preferred. Time and servings
20 minsTotal time
2Servings
20 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 200 g of golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp of pink peppercorns
- 0.5 tbsp of black peppercorns
- 1.5 tsp of cornflour
- 200 ml of oat drink(we used Oatly Oat Drink Whole)
- 250 ml of oat single cream alternative(we used Oatly Creamy Oat Single Cream)
- 70 g of vegan dark chocolate(we used Planet Organic No Added Sugar Dark 75% Chocolate), finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 100 ml of whisky(check vegan if required), or 80ml non-alcoholic spirit
- 4 tbsp of oat double cream alternative(we used Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat), whipped
Method
Step 1
Bring 100ml water to the boil in a pan. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and the peppercorns, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool a little, then strain the mixture into a jug.Step 2
Pre-warm 2 heatproof cups by filling them with hot water for a few mins, then emptying. Place a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, making sure you don’t let the bowl touch the water. Add the cornflour and slowly whisk in the oat drink using a balloon whisk. Add the oat cream, and 45ml of the pepper syrup; whisk for about 10 mins until small bubbles form. Add the chocolate and a pinch of salt; whisk until it melts. Don’t allow the mix to boil, as it dulls the flavour. Set aside.Step 3
Add 50ml whisky (or 40ml if using a non-alcoholic spirit) to each cup, then pour some hot chocolate into each. Serve immediately, topped with some whipped oat cream and a few chocolate shavings or curls. You can keep leftover syrup in a clean bottle in the fridge for 2 weeks.