Seven hot drinks to keep you warm this winter

How cold months keep rolling, nothing warms us better than a comforting warm drink.

To help you make the most of winter, we’ve rounded up five delicious dishes recipes for warming in winter drinks from some of London’s top cooks.

From homemade tea to hot chocolate and even vegan, these creative and witty recipes are sure to be a hit.

Homemade tea

Pa: Chet Sharma, Chef, Patron BBC

Ingredients:

½ inch piece of ginger

1 clove

2 green cardamom pods

A pinch of dill seed

1 teaspoon of Darjeeling black tea

Unrefined coconut sugar (to taste)

200 ml barista oat milk

200 ml of water

Method:

1. Mix the ginger and spices in a pestle and mortar. Pulse a few times until the ginger and cardamom split.

2. Add the spices to the water in a deep pot and bring to a boil.

3. Add tea and boil again.

4. Add oat milk and boil for 3-5 minutes.

5. Add sugar and strain into a kettle. Serve hot.

Drunk hot chocolate

Pa: Greg Marchand, founder FrenchCovent Garden

Ingredients:

20 ml of green chartreuse

200 ml of Monbana Tresor chocolate

Whipped cream with chartreuse (10 ml green chartreuse)

Method:

Prepare your favorite hot chocolate with water or a little milk (200 ml). Mix in 20 ml of green chartreuse and top with whipped cream (whip cream with 10 ml of chartreuse).

Grate some chocolate over the top and enjoy!

Irish coffee

Pa: Cormac Gibney, bar manager at Narcissus Mulligan

Ingredients:

50 ml Jameson Irish whiskey

Double shot of espresso and hot water

10 ml of demerara syrup

Freshly whipped double cream

Fresh nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat your Irish coffee glass, this is very important to keep your drink at the perfect temperature.

2. Add the whiskey, demerara syrup and coffee to the glass, stirring to combine the ingredients.

3. Place a spoon over the liquid and carefully spread the whipped cream on top. This is done so that the cream does not mix with the coffee.

4. Finish by rubbing fresh nutmeg over the cream, adding a nice touch along with an amazing flavor.

Winter heaters

Pa: Marta Tokarz, Group Bar Operations Manager at Cubit House

Cacao Cassis (suitable for vegans)

A healthy serving of dark hot chocolate (we use certified vegan) dissolved in hot water or oat milk, topped with a shot of crème de cassis or blackcurrant liqueur.

Chai fireplace

Earl Gray is served with a slab of smoky whiskey (such as Ardbeg 10) and lavender honey, finished with a large lemon zest.

(For lavender honey, use 1 part hot water to 2 parts liquid honey and 2 sprigs of lavender. Add the water and honey to a small saucepan and stir over low heat to combine. Gently wet the lavender and let it sit away from the heat for 5 minutes. Remove herb or strain the liquid through a sieve.)

A dash of chili will add some heat to this delicious drink.

A cup of hot apple

Simmer (cloudy) apple juice with a cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 1 star anise, ½ orange peel and a dash of honey. Pour into your favorite glass, liberally topped with gin, and garnish with a cinnamon stick to add flavor (flavored gins, such as orange, are also great).

Hot brewed drink Zobo

Pa: Aji Akokomi, founder of Akoka

What is Zobo?

Zobo is a simple tea brewed from dried hibiscus flowers. Hibiscus flowers are native to West Africa and have spread throughout the world. The flowers have a deep purple color and a strong floral scent, both of which are noticeable in the tea. In Nigeria, this drink is called Zobo, in Ghana – Sobolo, and in Senegal – Bissap.

Ingredients:

200 g of dry hibiscus flowers

50 g of honey or to taste

1 liter of water

250 g of oranges

350 g of cucumbers

350 g of pineapple

2 g of cloves

30 g of fresh ginger

Method:

1. Remove the cucumbers from the skin and cut them into small pieces. Peel the pineapple and also cut it into small pieces. Peel the ginger and wash the hibiscus flowers by placing them in a bowl of water.

2. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and transfer to a blender, add cucumber, pineapple and ginger, beat thoroughly and set aside.

3. Pour water into a deep pot and put it on medium heat on the stove, add washed hibiscus flowers, cloves and pour pineapple, cucumber and ginger smoothie, then add cloves, cover and let it boil for about 20 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat, strain the contents and the warm Zobo drink is ready.