Caramel and Mandarin Hot Chocolate

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I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of hot chocolate, but sometimes (rarely) it’s just something I gotta make. The weather, of course, always have something to do with the decision of making it or not, and after I turn on the stove and the chocolate begins to melt – it fills my heart with warmth and joy.

This is not a usual hot chocolate – it contains caramel and mandarin juice, and I like to serve it with homemade mandarin marshmallow and fresh whipped cream.

Caramel and Mandarin Hot Chocolate

Photo: Natalie Levin



Caramel and Mandarin Hot Chocolate

1 cup

Ingredients:
25 grams (2 tbsp.) sugar
250 ml. (1 cup) milk
40 ml. (3 tbsp.) mandarin juice
60 grams dark chocolate 60% cocoa solids

For whipped cream:
125 ml. heavy cream
1 tbsp. sugar powder

For serving:
mandarin marshmallows (recipe follows)
cocoa powder

Preparation:

  1. Put sugar in a small saucepan and form a caramel.
  2. When an amber caramel is formed add milk and mandarin juice carefully, and cook over medium-high heat, until the caramel melts again and obtained a uniform texture.
  3. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or over double boiler and add the hot milk into the mixture, while stirring.
  4. Continue stirring until you get smooth and dense chocolate milk.
  5. Transfer to serving cups.
  6. Whip the cream and powdered sugar until you get a stable whipped cream.
  7. Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitted with jagged piping tip, and pipe a generous mound of cream over each cup.
  8. Serve with mandarin marshmallows and sprinkle some cocoa powder.
Caramel and Mandarin Hot Chocolate

Photo: Natalie Levin

Mandarin marshmallow

  • Makes 20*20 cm square pan

Ingredients:
28 grams gelatin powder
56 ml. water
300 grams sugar
140 grams mandarin juice
250 grams inverted sugar or glucose

Preparation:

  1. In a medium bowl put gelatin and water and soak for 10-15 minutes at room temperature, until gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
  2. Put sugar, 70 grams of mandarin juice and 100 grams of inverted sugar in a medium saucepan and cook the syrup to a temperature of 110c degrees.
  3. In a mixer bowl put 70 grams of mandarin juice and 150 grams of inverted sugar.
  4. Dissolve the gelatin in the microwave and add to mixer bowl. Beat well until smooth.
  5. Whip at medium speed and add in the hot syrup (110 degrees) in a thin stream while whipping.
  6. Continue to whip the mixture until it is stable, bright and cooled to a temperature of 40-45 degrees.
  7. Place the square pan on a silicon mat or parchment paper dusted with a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar, and pour the marshmallow mixture.
  8. Allow the marshmallow to set for about 12-24 hours.
  9. Cut into small squares and roll in mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch.

Notes:

  • You can use any kind of citrus fruit you like instead of mandarin.