Spicy hot chocolate coconut milk with ginger & turmeric

Do you remember your favorite childhood drink?
Mine was chocolate milk. As a little kid I adored this creamy, sweet drink.
I still love chocolate milk, but nowadays I drink it with a plant-based milk such as almond or coconut.
Sometimes I like to spice it up like in this recipe where I use fresh ginger, turmeric and cinnamon to create a deliciously sweet and spicy hot chocolate coconut milk.

Ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are warming spices that are praised for their beneficial health properties.
You can find them in several other Ayurvedic hot drinks such as golden milk and masala chai.

This rich beverage makes a lovely, warming drink that’s especially enjoyable during the cold seasons.

Spicy hot chocolate coconut milk

Ingredients:

4 cups / 1 liter coconut milk
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp fresh ginger
1/2 tsp fresh turmeric
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp coconut sugar

for the whipped coconut cream (optional):

top part of one can of coconut milk

Chocolate coconut milk:

Grate the ginger and turmeric and set them aside.

Use a saucepan and warm the coconut milk with the coconut oil on a low fire.

Add the cacao powder until all the powder is dissolved, while gently whisking.

Add the grated ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick and coconut sugar.

Let it cook for 10 minutes on a low fire, while stirring regularly.

Use a sieve to get rid of any ginger and turmeric pieces.

Whipped coconut cream:

If you want whipped coconut cream on your drink,  you’ll need an extra can of coconut milk and prepare it a few hours on forehand.

To make the creamiest whipped cream, put a closed can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight.
This will separate the creamy part from the liquid.

You don’t need the liquid for the whipped cream, but you can use it for a different recipe such as for a smoothie.

Remove the can from the fridge and scoop off the top part.

Place in a chilled mixing bowl.

Mix the cream with an electric mixer for about a minute or until reaching the desired consistency.

Pour the spicy hot chocolate coconut milk and top with the whipped coconut cream.
Serve immediately. And if you feel like a sweet bite with it, try this banana walnut cake or coconut lime cheesecake.