The 12 Best

Snoman ski holidays 0

Put down the prune juice and step away from the spirulina, it’s National Hot Chocolate Day!
Everyone’s favourite calorific beverage, a good hot chocolate, is so many things: welcome warmth on a cold a day on the mountain, the best bribe for well-behaved skiing sprogs or, injected with a daring dash of Chartreuse, a spot of Dutch courage for that notorious black run.
There’s no hot chocolate like a ski holiday hot chocolate, so we’ve gathered 12 of our personal favourites to mark the day – prepare to drool over this delicious dozen:

The Mooserwirt, St Anton

Selling more beer than anywhere else in the Alps, the Mooserwirt’s known as the place for getting utterly cabbaged, while rubbing elbows with 500 of your new best friends. Though they’re served with a little more finesse than the stonking great steins, the hot chocolates here don’t let the side down – laced with lethal Stroh rum, the 80% alcohol “spirit of Austria”. Fortunately the Moose is almost at the bottom of the slopes, so there’s nothing challenging after drinks, beyond staying upright.

Crazy Daisy’s, Zell Am See

More Austrian Stroh over at Crazy Daisy’s in Zell, served with cream and a big smile out on the bustling après terrace. Their Hot Choc guru Aaron wouldn’t give us his secret recipe, but he assured us that he gives every variety a ‘quality control test’ to make sure it’s good enough… Other additives include Baileys and Amaretto – we recommend one of each, before attempting their other house specialty – the graphically named “yellow snow” is a cocktail served in what closely resembles a specimen cup…

Grand Marnier Creperie, Meribel

This place is famed for putting the Grand M in anything they can get their hands on, including, bien sûr, our favourite chocolate tipple. Chase yours down with Grand M crepes, doused in as much of the liquor as you can handle…

Bobby’s Bar, Borovets

For hot choc that makes you feel you’ve “come home from the cold”, Bobby’s bar has the liquid homecoming for you, served right by the fire and with a welcome so warm, from Bobby and Kas, that you’ll feel like you’re one of their family. Better still, the kid’s playroom’s free in the evenings, so kids can play while you sit and sip. Choose if you can between Baileys, Brandy, Savoy Whisky, Jack Daniels, Tia Maria, Savoy dark rum and Captain Morgan’s spiced rum.

The Little Nell, Aspen

Little in name, but not in scrumptiousness, the Little Nell’s hot chocolate is prepared with whole milk, full cream and Valrhona Ganache; and topped with whipped cream and home-made marshmallows. At $12, the delicious calories don’t come cheap, but they’re worth every cent, especially if add a liquor to the mix. The favourites: Kahlua and Peppermint Schnapps.

Evelyn’s Café, Banff

The word on Banff Avenue is that Evelyn’s Bar serves THE best hot choc in town – no small claim in a nation known for its voraciously sweet tooth. Served with CHOCOLATE whipped cream, pair yours with their double choc cake and make sure to book the afternoon off – you’ll be spending it in raptures.

Three S!xty, Saas Fee

©Three S!xty CofFee Bar

Even if it were of the powder and hot water variety (it’s not), the hot chocolate at Three S!xty would be legendary enough for those gob-smackingly gorgeous views. At a sky-scraping 3500m, it’s the highest revolving restaurant on earth. The only trouble is, you have to make the drink last an hour or invest in some more drinks and cake to enjoy the full 360 rotation – life’s hard in Saas Fee…

Confiserie Hanselmann, St Moritz

Something of an institution in glamorous St Moritz, this place has been perfecting their sweet treats ever since Fritz Hanselmann opened shop in 1894. The hot chocolate honestly can’t be ordered without a slice of their Engadine nut torte – so good people have it shipped all over the world.

Boite a Chocolat, Zermatt

Most pop in here to pick up the essential Matterhorn-shaped Swiss chocolate souvenir, but you won’t regret sparing 20 minutes for a hot chocolate from the extensive list and a piece of Madame Taugwalder’s flourless chocolate cake. Like those who have been wise enough to do so before you, you’ll be back before long.

Café Corso, Ortisei

We always set our Corso for this café when we’re skiing Val Gardena – the Senoner family have a fabulous range of hot chocolate drinks (and also do a cracking chocolate fondue, if you’re cravings need further sating).

L’Aiglon, Champoluc

Famed for dolce far niente, the Italians also brew the sweetest hot chocolates, so thick they’d hold a hobnob upright. Speaking of – they also make a mean biscuit, like these homemade confections from the L’Aiglon – used to scoop each of their whopping 32 types of cioccolata calda into watering mouths.

Fireside Lounge, Vail

Fireside Lodge four seasons hot chocolate

This isn’t just a hot chocolate, this is Jason Harrison’s Haut Chocolat – arriving on silver tray, gently churned in front of you and slowly poured into a cup of marshmallows (chocolate flavoured and homemade, of course) through a luxurious dark chocolate lattice. Watch everything deliciously melt together, and if your taste buds are tingling for more cream or chocolate shavings, don’t fight them.

In case, like us, you’re well and truly drooling by now – we asked our friend and renowned Artisan Chocolatier, David Pasquiet for his “secret” hot chocolate recipe. Running L’Instant Chocolat in Crans Montana with his lovely wife, Virginie, and voted Swiss Chocolatier of the year 2013, he knows how to tickle the taste buds.

Simple but spectacular:

Heat 100ml of milk, 100ml of water and 2 soup spoons (40 g) of grated chocolate, and let the mixture slowly come to the boil.

Add cornflour for a thicker consistency, as well as any spices as you like – cinnamon, pepper, chilli etc… or enjoy au naturale.

Share this with your fave Chocolate lovers!