I served this luxurious hot chocolate drink on Christmas morning. I felt it was a bit early to start on the fizz, but wanted to hand out something a little special that would perk us all up at such an early hour.

Chocolate works so well with pear. It almost tastes like a dessert and the ginger gives it a wonderful warmth. I used dark chocolate for this. So much nicer than cocoa for that real chocolate hit.

None of us drink coffee or tea, so this was a great choice and we'll definitely be having it again.

If you do need that caffeine hit, you could add a little coffee to this recipe.


Chocolate Milk with Pear & Ginger

Ingredients

200ml semi-skimmed milk (or coconut milk)
40g bar 70% dark chocolate
1 ripe pear
1/2 piece of crystallised stem ginger (I used, 1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger)


Method

1. Break the chocolate into a small pan, add the milk and heat gently until the chocolate has melted.
2. Peel and core the pear, then cut into quarters.
3. Add the pear, chocolate milk and ginger to a blender. Whizz until smooth.
4. You can drink this warm or cold.

Serves 2




Look at that. A lovely, velvet smooth hot chocolate drink, that tastes luxurious!

While we were enjoying our chocolate drinks, we were opening presents. Christmas music was playing in the background and my cat was having a great time playing with the wrapping paper.

What is it with cats and wrapping paper?

A simple recipe for white chocolate truffles with peppermint. A tasty sweet treat that makes an excellent Christmas gift.

Love hummus, but want to try something different? Try this creamy vegan red pepper hummus, it's easy to make, and full of flavour, but n...

Try this fruity vegan vanilla bean milkshake smoothie for a quick & tasty breakfast or as a refreshing drink. No blender? That's ok,...

Enjoy the flavours of the Middle East with this Moroccan Vegetable Stew with chickpeas. Tender vegetables, creamy chickpeas and aromatic spi...

  Easy homemade hot mango chutney is an easy chutney to make at home with mangos, apples, onions, chilli peppers and spices.

Capture the flavour of summer with this easy homemade mixed berries jam which is made with frozen fruit, so it can be made cheaply all year ...

A family recipe for Australian fruit cake - a moist, fruity cake baked in a loaf tin. This cup-measured recipe can be enjoyed by those on a ...

Enchant your taste buds this Halloween with a delicious mushroom & cheese fondue with cider, baked in the carved-out pumpkin like a tast...

Make a batch of this easy homemade onion & apple chutney to perk up salads, baked potatoes & sandwiches. The subtly spiced flavours ...

A delicious spicy butternut squash soup flavoured with spices and orange juice, then blended until smooth. Perfect for lunch or dinner.

An easy chickpea curry made with canned chickpeas. This vegan curry is packed with flavour for your Friday night curry.

A  recipe for a traditional Scottish strawberry & rhubarb crumble, which includes oats in the crumble topping.

A gloriously quick pea pesto made with frozen peas and cashew nuts. A quick pasta sauce that's cheap to make and tastes delicious.

An easy mushroom, potato and aubergine curry made with curry paste. Easy to make and so much flavour.

This colourful Kenyan mash is made with beans, sweetcorn and potatoes to make a colourful vegetarian side dish.

An easy recipe for spinach and feta triangles, which are made with filo (phyllo) pastry and called spanakopita in Greece.

Lemon syllabub is a creamy lemon dessert made with fresh lemon that's easy to make and a light end to any meal. 

An easy recipe for creamy macaroni cheese made from a family recipe. Suitable for vegetarians.

Spicy tiffin eggs are a type of Scotch egg with a vegetarian filling and flavoured with curry spices. Perfect for picnics, lunch boxes or lu...

Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce is a traditional Greek dish that's an easy-to-make but hearty dish suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

A simple recipe for Greek Style fried halloumi cheese with lemon and olives. You can use regular halloumi or vegan halloumi for this Cypr...

A simple cocktail with the flavour of the traditional British sweetie, the cola cube.

A simple spiced turnip soup served with creamy feta cheese. Warming and delicious.

A simple vegetarian recipe for stuffed bell peppers with a creamy filling of ricotta cheese and mushrooms. post updated December 2022

An indulgent no-bake truffle torte. Serve this chocolate tart with whipped cream for a special dessert at family gatherings. Chocolate T...

A simple recipe for vegetarian shepherd's pie. This traditional Scottish favourite is also vegan if you use vegan butter in the mashed ...

A simple puff pastry tart that is easy to put together and makes a really good vegetarian main course when served with baby potatoes and sal...