By: Roxana Oliver
Can you imagine anything better on a cold winter day than sitting inside wrapped up in a blanket, sipping on a hot drink? So often, that is exactly what we want to do, whether we’ll be spending our time alone, reading a good book, or with loved ones opening Christmas presents. And here are three drinks that will help you achieve that mood in no time at all! So get your fancy coasters ready and winter spirit up!
Hot Chocolate
There are very few things that can compare to the taste, smell and warm feelings that come with making and drinking a cup of homemade hot chocolate.
The 2-minute Nutella drink
2 tbsp Nutella
1 cup milk
Put the milk in a saucepan and heat it up until it starts steaming. Then add in the Nutella and stir it until it dissolves. Once everything is blended, pour it in a mug and add any toppings you’d like. We recommend whipped cream, mini marshmallows or chocolate syrup.
The elevated white hot chocolate
1 cup milk
½ stalk lemongrass
¼ tsp dried lavender
¼ tsp lime zest
1 ½ ounces of white chocolate
Put the milk into a saucepan and add to it chopped lemongrass, lavender and lime zest. Let it all infuse, stirring occasionally, until it starts bubbling around the edges. Remove it from the heat and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the white chocolate. Strain the milk and return it to a clean saucepan over medium heat, then add the chocolate and stir it until the chocolate dissolves and the mixture is hot throughout. Serve it with a lime twist on top, or with a stalk of lemongrass over the mug.
Mulled wine
The deep, rich tones of mulled wine come from good quality wines, and using Australian wine is about as good as you can get for the perfect cup of mulled wine. Hey as an Aussie, I have to root for my own!
Classic red mulled wine
1 bottle red wine of choice
1 clementine
1 lemon
100g caster sugar
3 cloves (whole)
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 vanilla pod
1 star anise
Thinly peel the lemon and clementine and add it into a large saucepan with the sugar and clementine juice. Add the cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and the vanilla pod, halved lengthways. Stir in a little bit of the wine, just enough to cover the sugar. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and then bring it up to a boil. You will get a thick syrup, similar to honey. When the syrup is done, add in the star anise and the rest of the wine and heat until it’s warmed throughout.
Eggnog
You know it’s Christmas time when you’re drinking eggnog. And just in case the old family recipe is not as perfect as everyone thinks, wow them by making this one:
Better-than-mom’s eggnog
4 eggs, separated
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp of sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 tsp nutmeg
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks until they lighten up, then gradually add the larger quantity of sugar. Once dissolved, add milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg. Then prepare the egg whites by whisking them up with the remaining tablespoon of sugar to get it into stiff peaks. You will need an electric mixer or a lot of elbow grease for this. Whisk in the egg whites into the other mixture (make sure you whisk, not fold, because folding might leave patches of egg whites throughout the drink). Chill it and share with loved ones.
All of these drinks are absolute classics, but they can all have simple twists added to them to make them more interesting. Try making a white mulled wine, an atypical eggnog where you swap out the bourbon for a different liquor, or one of the thousands of versions for hot chocolate. Whatever you need to keep you warm this winter, remember that it’s always nice to have company, so make sure you make an extra cup to share.
