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Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Mix

Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Keyword gift in a jar, homemade hot cocoa mix, hot chocolate mix, salted caramel cocoa
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 32 servings
A homemade salted caramel hot chocolate mix made with caramelized sugar, cocoa, milk powder and bittersweet chocolate. Stir 3 heaping tablespoons into a mug of hot milk, or pack it in jars to give.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups Nestle Dutch cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 cup dry milk powder
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips

Directions

  • Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment.
  • Set a heavy saucepan over medium heat and melt the granulated sugar, swirling the pan instead of stirring, until it turns a deep amber (about 15 minutes).
  • Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour the caramel onto the middle of the sheet and let it spread out by itself.
  • Let it cool and harden for about an hour, then break it into pieces and grind to a fine powder in a blender or food processor.
  • Add the cocoa, milk powder, and brown sugar and blend until smooth. Then add the salt and chocolate and blend until combined.

Notes

Bittersweet baking chocolate around 66% cacao works well.
Mug: 3 heaping tablespoons of mix with 1 mug of hot milk (lower-calorie: hot water or hot almond milk). Use sea salt, not table salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 39g | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 0.7IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 32 servings, the mix made with water (milk adds more); Nestle Dutch cocoa powder counted as cocoa mix powder, dry milk powder counted as nonfat dry milk, bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips (the first choice counted). Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.