Grapefruit White Hot Chocolate Recipe
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A creamy grapefruit white hot chocolate recipe made with grapefruit-infused whole milk, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, honey, vanilla, and good-quality white chocolate. A white chocolate twist on traditional grapefruit hot chocolate!
Why Make This Grapefruit White Hot Chocolate Recipe?
I guess you could say that I’m a fan of divisive foods (see also: anchovies, olives, and candy corn…) So while not everyone loves white chocolate (or grapefruit, for that matter!) both of these are staple ingredients in my kitchen. In the summer months, I always have a jar of grapefruit water in the fridge, and in the wintertime, it’s all about grapefruit hot chocolate.
To create this citrus-inspired twist on a classic mug of white hot chocolate, I’ve combined good-quality chopped white chocolate (not grocery store chocolate chips) with whole milk and fresh grapefruit juice, plus a touch of honey to sweeten, and vanilla extract to heighten the white chocolate’s natural vanilla notes. The result? A smooth, velvety hot chocolate with lots of grapefruit flavor. Best served with a swirl of whipped cream, and pieces of homemade candied grapefruit peel!
Grapefruit Hot Chocolate Ingredients
- Whole Milk – I suggest using whole (rather than skimmed, fat free, or plant milk) milk for a rich, creamy drink. I developed this recipe with dairy milk, but you can substitute a plant-based alternative such as oat, coconut, or almond milk. However, keep in mind that white chocolate contains milk, so this substitution won’t make the drink dairy-free or vegan. For a dairy free and vegan hot chocolate beverage, try my vegan hot chocolate recipe instead.
- Grapefruit Peel – You’ll need about half of the peel of a large red or white grapefruit, sliced into 1-inch wide strips. Feel free to use a citrus peeler to ease the process along. And save the rest of the fruit to make grapefruit curd or a citrus salad!
- White Chocolate – You’ll need 85 grams, or 3 ounces, of good-quality white chocolate. Callebaut 28% is my go-to white chocolate for everyday use, but any good-quality brand will work. Avoid cheap chocolate chips, which are better for baking than they are for beverages, where texture and meltability are of utmost importance.
- Grapefruit Juice – After removing the peel, squeeze the grapefruit and set aside about 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) of juice. Fresh-squeezed juice works best for this recipe, rather than the bottled juice you’d drink for breakfast.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla heightens the natural vanilla notes of the chocolate. Use a good-quality vanilla extract (avoid cheap imitation flavorings, which are mostly coloring and alcohol), vanilla bean paste, or the scrapings of a vanilla pod.
- Honey – You can add more honey as desired, use another liquid sweetener, or omit it altogether if you prefer a drink which leans more citrusy than sweet. Remember that white chocolate itself is quite sweet, so taste and adjust as you go.
Infusing Grapefruit Into Whole Milk
The first step in creating the citrus-y grapefruit flavor is infusing sections of grapefruit peel into whole milk. To do this, gently warm the milk and citrus peels in a pan on the stovetop, simmer for a minute or so, then turn off the heat and allow the fruit to steep for at least 30 minutes, or as long as an hour. (The longer you allow the grapefruit peels to sit in the milk, the stronger the citrus flavor.) Use kitchen tongs to remove the grapefruit peel, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Grapefruit White Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Total Time45 minutes
- Yield2 portions (about 200 milliliters each) 1x
Hot chocolate made with grapefruit-infused whole milk, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, honey, vanilla, and creamy white chocolate.
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate:
360 milliliters whole milk (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 grapefruit peel, sliced into 1-inch wide strips
85 grams chopped white chocolate (3 ounces; about 1/2 cup)
30 milliliters freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (2 tablespoons), or to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
Garnish:
Whipped cream, or coconut whipped cream
Shaved white chocolate
Grapefruit zest, or candied grapefruit peel
Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring whole milk and grapefruit peels to a simmer over low heat. Simmer 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Cover and allow grapefruit to steep in the milk for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour.
With kitchen tongs, remove the grapefruit peel.
Rewarm the grapefruit-infused milk over low heat. Add the chopped white chocolate, whisking gently until the chocolate melts.
Remove from heat. Whisk in grapefruit juice, vanilla extract, and honey.
Taste and adjust, adding more grapefruit juice or honey as desired.
Pour into mugs. Garnish with whipped cream, shaved white chocolate, grapefruit zest, or chopped candied grapefruit peel.
Serve immediately.
Notes
As written, this recipe will make 2 smaller portions, or 1 large portion. If serving a crowd, you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to meet your needs.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To make ahead: You can prepare the grapefruit-infused milk up to 24 hours in advance. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
To reheat: Store leftover grapefruit hot chocolate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a small saucepan on the stovetop, or pour it into a microwave-safe mug and heat on medium-high power for 1-2 minutes.
Garnishing and Serving Grapefruit White Hot Chocolate
- Whipped Cream – The classic finishing touch for hot chocolate! Use a spoon or piping bag to top your mug with whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream). You can even flavor the whipped cream with grapefruit oil.
- White Chocolate – Sprinkle curls or pieces of grated white chocolate over your mug for a pretty finishing touch, or add a handful of miniature white chocolate chips.
- Fresh Grapefruit Zest – Use a Microplane to zest fresh grapefruit peel over the whipped cream.
- Candied Grapefruit Peel – Make a batch of homemade candied grapefruit peel, chop into tiny pieces, and scatter on top.
- Marshmallows – Serve your hot chocolate with homemade vanilla bean marshmallows.
