During the winter holiday season, what is better than wrapping your cold hands around a warm mug of spiked hot chocolate? (see below). This just may be the ultimate whiskey hot toddy and comforting dessert drink all rolled into one.
Why the combination of Belgian and Irish? It’s purely selfish, actually. They’re my two favorites and Belgian chocolate is arguably the best chocolate in the world and a little ‘luck of the Irish Cream’ is always a comforting idea in the cold weather. I even served it with clover leaf chocolate chip shortbread cookies (pictured below). Belgians are very serious about their chocolate and the Irish about their cream. The two combined is mind-blowingly good. Trust me.
Cream in hot chocolate
Just like French/Parisian hot chocolate I, and the Belgians, use real chocolate and not cocoa powder. The use of heavy cream (double cream) makes it thick, rich, creamy and velvety so the rich chocolate flavor lingers on the tongue like your own private chocolate festival.
Where do you buy Belgian chocolate?
In the U.S., I buy mine from Trader Joe’s and Cost Plus World Market.
Belgians are very serious about their chocolate
I have been fortunate to visit Belgium many times and have consumed copious amounts of their chocolate and confections. There are literally 1,000’s of chocolate houses in Belgium and some are hundreds of years old, which makes sense that they’ve had time to perfect the art of chocolate making. Belgian confections use high quality ingredients in their filled chocolates, pralines and truffles. The best Belgian chocolates being Neuhaus, Callebaut, Leonidas and more commonly, Godiva, just to name a few. Did you know that here are chocolate houses in Belgium that will serve you a steaming hot cup of milk along with chocolate circles so you can make your own hot chocolate right at your table? This allows you to make it as chocolatey as you like. Now that’s a very cool idea and one that should be adopted everywhere!
Winter Baileys Belgian Hot Chocolate Serving Suggestion
Use this recipe as a creamer in your coffee or serve over vanilla ice cream. You can’t go wrong with either of these ideas. If you’re a white chocolate fan, you have to try my White Hot Chocolate that comes with a dark chocolate whipped cream topping.
Baileys Irish Cream flavors
Now, Baileys have released so many variations over the past few years like salted caramel, espresso creme and vanilla cinnamon. If you like, you could mix it up and add any of these amazing flavors. To sweeten or not to sweeten? I don’t like my hot chocolate sweet so I don’t add any (or very little) sugar. You can add as much as you like, however, to suit your taste. This also depends on how sweet your chocolate is and don’t forget, the Baileys is sweetened too. Whipped cream or no whipped cream? I do love whipped cream on my hot chocolate, but for this indulgent recipe (and because of the Irish cream) I leave it off. You can add it if that’s your thing. This recipe makes 4 each, 8 ounce /300ml servings
