The One Kitchen Tool You Need For Richer Hot Chocolate

No matter how you like it — thick and rich, like a melted chocolate bar, or more subtle and milky — hot chocolate is a beverage that never fails to bring comfort. It's a classic drink; we'd even say it's on the same level as coffee and tea due to its warming, nostalgia-inducing features. If you drink hot chocolate on the regular, or even just during the winter season, you probably have a preferred method of preparing it. Maybe it's your Keurig or a Swiss Miss packet, or perhaps it's an elaborate, from-scratch recipe on the stove made with the highest-quality chocolate bar. No matter what method you use, we recommend investing in a flat microplane grater to add some extra chocolatey decadence to your drink.

Grating chocolate is one of the best ways to upgrade hot chocolate through both flavor and presentation, and it also happens to be one of the easiest. Before doing so, you'll want to choose your favorite chocolate bar. Go for something better than a simple Hershey bar; we think dark chocolate is a better choice because of the richness it adds. We ranked our favorite grocery store dark chocolate bars from worst to best, and Aldi's Choceur was our number one pick. Once you've got that secured, pop it in the fridge for about 15 minutes before you even think about grating it. This will ensure that it doesn't melt all over your hands and that the individual flakes of chocolate remain intact, particularly if you're using it as a garnish.

Depending on how you like to make your hot chocolate, there are two main ways you can add grated chocolate to the drink. The first involves adding it to the beverage itself. If you're making an ultimate hot chocolate from scratch, this technique will come in handy. Many recipes call for a mixture of unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, milk, and vanilla. To this, you'll want to grate your chilled chocolate bar of choice directly into the pan on the stove. As it melts and turns the hot chocolate darker and thicker, you won't be able to resist trying a spoonful before pouring it into a mug. 

If you like your hot chocolate quick and simple, there's another way you can add grated chocolate to your powdered mix of choice. Once you've made a cup and all the powder has been mixed in, top it with some marshmallows and a generous swirl of whipped cream. Then, grate your chocolate bar over the whipped cream for an elegant and tasty garnish. Add some crushed peppermint if you so desire, and you've got a gorgeous, cafe-quality hot chocolate.