Don't add the orange juice in the beginning. If you do, the milk will curdle. Instead, wait until the end to add it. It's hard to explain, but some combinations of flavors just work better than others. Orange and chocolate are definitely one of those, hence why I adore this dark chocolate orange cakeand coconut cupcakes with the same frosting too. Other winning combinations are

Orange juice - Preferably freshly squeezed; The recipe calls for two tablespoons, but you can adjust it based on your personal preference. Method

Recipe features

I like to serve it a little more bitter, because I love to top my hot chocolate with either sweet marshmallows or sweet whipped cream to balance it out. Just like I do my Mexican hot chocolate. If so, I use 7 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. The good news, you can make this amazing orange hot chocolate vegan! The bad news, Terry’s chocolate orange isn’t vegan – but not to worry!

Orange - Freshly squeezed orange juice works best in the recipe. Plus you can use the same orange to grate some zest to garnish your drink and add the rinds to the milk. Simply add a large strip of orange peel to the milk and heat in a pan until it starts to steam. Then add cocoa power, mix and remove the orange peel. Pour the hot chocolate into a cup and enjoy. You can keep the orange peel in for a stronger infused flavour. A delicious hot chocolate recipe that just so happens to be dairy-free (as long as you use dairy-free chocolate and milk :))

Ingredient notes:

Use can use vegan chocolate and add a quarter teaspoon of orange extract. Another alternative is to mix cocoa powder with orange extract to recreate the chocolate orange flavour. But the best option would be to buy vegan chocolate orange like this one. Fresh orange juice gives the best results to this hot drink. You can also get pre-squeezed fresh juice from the store but be careful that it doesn’t have any additions to it. Terry’s Chocolate Orange: I used the classic Terry’s chocolate orange for this hot chocolate recipe. You can use alternative orange flavoured chocolate brands. Plus, it’s perfect for Christmas! After all, it’s hard to go by the festive season without receiving a box of Terry’s chocolate orange. Making this hot chocolate drink is the perfect way to use it up. Why You’ll Like This Recipe