Cozy up this winter with these delicious hot drinks!
December 11, 2024
As the weather starts to cool down and the degrees begin to hit the negative, a warm mug of hot cocoa would taste like complete bliss in a cup. So today, I am sharing some of my favourite hot drink recipes you can make at home using affordable everyday ingredients!
Sahlab
I’m starting with my favourite hot drink: Sahlab, Salep, or Sahlep. It is a traditional hot drink in Eastern Mediterranean countries, with an intense aroma and hot milky flavour. Wilde orchids are washed, boiled, dried, and ground into flour that forms the base of this delicious drink. Today, authentic Sahlab is difficult to come across, and people use artificially synthesized powders sold in small packets. However, many opt to replicate this recipe at home using simple ingredients that amount to the most beautiful forms of warmth and nostalgia. And unless you have any orchids growing in your backyard, here is a simple way to make a warm comfort drink in 10 minutes!
- Combine milk, cornstarch, your choice of sweetener, and vanilla extract and whisk over medium heat, bringing it to a boil until it is thick and creamy-like
- Top with cinnamon, coconut flakes, and nuts of your choice, and enjoy!
Moroccan Mint Tea
Mint tea constitutes an ever-present pillar of authentic Moroccan culture. The spicy taste of fresh mint leaves and the pleasant syrupy taste of pure sugar make for a delightful afternoon tea option. And don’t be alarmed when the aroma and colour of your cup of mint tea change by the minutes, there’s a famous Arabic proverb that sums up this entire experience:
- The first drink is bitter — like life
- The second is as sweet as love
- The third is as soothing as death
The best part of this warm drink is that it’s easy to make! All you have to do is combine fresh mint leaves, Gunpowder Chinese green tea, and sugar in a teapot and let boil until all the flavours fuse. Then pour in a special way bringing the teapot as high as you can to let tea oxygenate and reveal all its aromas, then enjoy!
Brazilian Hot Chocolate
This luscious hot drink will leave you feeling warm and cozy with each sip. It is silky and creamy, and smells absolutely amazing! It is also rather simple to make, the key ingredient is a generous amount of sweet condensed milk. All you need to do is mix unsweetened cocoa powder (or dark chocolate), cornstarch, milk, and sweet condensed milk and cook over low heat until it thickens, then add a dash of vanilla extract, and enjoy!
And there you have it! These are some of my favourite hot drinks that make me feel warm and cozy after a long and tiring day. I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do!