I add 1 unusual ingredient to my hot chocolate that makes it taste so luxurious

You really can't beat a warm and comforting drink when the weather is miserable outside. Now that the clocks have gone back, we are facing the prospect of many cold, dark nights on the horizon, so staying cosy and comfortable is an absolute must.

Hot chocolate is something that I never crave until around November every year, and then it becomes my obsession all the way until spring. I've tried so many different ways of making it - embarrassingly only switching to milk over water a few years back - but I have always struggled to achieve that luxurious taste that you tend to get from nice cafés. But now I believe I've found the key to the perfect-tasting hot chocolate, and it's all down to one unusual ingredient.

Putting salt in your hot chocolate might sound a bit disgusting at first, but hear me out; the tiniest pinch is more than enough to deepen the flavour of the rich cocoa, and bring out the natural sweetness that it has.

I remember first seeing a similar trick on an old episode of Modern Family from years ago, except instead of hot chocolate, it was chocolate milk. However, with these drinks being basically the same, I saw no reason why it wouldn't work on the wintery favourite.

I actually think it works even better. It's not overwhelmingly salty but it does add an interesting twist that makes it so smooth and luxurious. I also fully believe everyone should have a hot chocolate maker for these chilly months ahead, like this Dualit model.

And if you aren't a fan of a hot chocolate, you can also use it to make flat whites, lattes, milkshakes and more. Here's how I make the hot chocolate recipe I'll be having on repeat all winter long.

Hot chocolate recipe

Ingredients

• 35g dark chocolate, chopped into tiny chunks (or hot chocolate powder)
• 230ml milk of choice
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• Tsp sugar
• Whipped cream and more chocolate to decorate, if required

Method

Making a hot chocolate isn't exactly complicated, but there are a few things you need to get right. The first one is using milk instead of water, which makes it so much more creamy and delicious. I chose to put oat milk in mine, but any kind should work fine.

Pour it into your pan or hot chocolate maker, then add the chocolate itself. Add a tiny pinch of salt - you really don't need a lot for the flavour to develop. I also added a teaspoon of sugar, since it was dark chocolate I used, just to give it some more sweetness.

Then, heat the contents gently until the drink comes together but without burning the milk. If you're using a pan, you'll want to be stirring it frequently or even giving it a quick whisk to ensure all the lumps of chocolate are blended in.

Once it's ready, it should be velvety-smooth and just warm enough. Pour the contents into a mug, spray some whipped cream and a sprinkle of extra chocolate on top for good measure, and enjoy.