Creating a Rustic Hot Coco Bar

Think hot cocoa bars are just for kids? Here's some tips for all adults to enjoy a delicious rich cup of hot cocoa.

Thank you to Dandylines for providing some beautiful wares to include in this years Hot Cocoa Bar. We will be having a giveaway with these over on Instagram.

When I was ten I believed that I was going to own a chocolaterie one day. I had journals and sketch books filled with ideas, plans, storefront layouts and specifically, how I would decorate my shop for Christmas. My sketches always included a hot chocolate station. How could it not? Then, when I was twenty I moved away to an island to go to university. During my first night away from home, I watched the movie Chocolat with Johnny Depp, where his character, Roux, said in the most charming way possible "I thought you'd never guess. My favourite - hot chocolate." It was then when I took the plunge and enrolled in a university called École Chocolat where I completed a degree in chocolate (with honours I might add - I was quite proud of that because I never received with honours in my B.A or my B.Ed).

S E T T H E S T A G E

This is a special vignette that you are building for a holiday party or perhaps you are keeping it up for for the Christmas season; nevertheless, a hot chocolate bar is a deliciously sweet way to win some hearts this year. A bar cart, is a perfect way to set up a hot cocoa bar, but don't worry if you don't have one. Get creative with a sideboard or even a corner section of your counter tops.

P U L L O U T Y O U R W A R E S

You will need:

• mugs for all your people

• bowls or jars to store your toppings

• a stainless thermos to keep the hot chocolate warm, tea pot or a crock pot

• spoons for stirring

• hot chocolate

• glass bottles for syrups or Baileys

• decorations for the bar cart if you would like

W H A T D O Y O U T O P I T W I T H ?

Be creative, and top your hot chocolate with whatever you'd like; but here are some favourites:

• fresh whip cream

• crushed candy canes

• whole candy canes

• homemade marshmallows

• chocolate shavings

• holiday sprinkles

• cinnamon sticks

• whole nutmeg to grate

• gingerbread cookies to dip

• any favourite holiday cookies

• Baileys, peppermint schnapps. holiday Kahlua, Salted Caramel Baileys

• Coffee syrups for a n0n-alcohal version - salted caramel, peppermint, French vanilla

• your own simple syrup mixtures (Christmas spice, lavender)

• dried lavender

to find these tips and more, watch the video

K E E P I T S I M P L E Y E T F E S T I V E L Y S P E C I A L

Buy or make things that people wouldn’t splurge on themselves to create a charming hot cocoa bar . I truly believe by adding details that don't necessarily have to cost more money, brings your hostessing to the next level. Think about what would excite you if you went to someone else's home for a holiday hot chocolate party and add it to yours. It doesn't have to cost more money, but going that extra step will makes the experience that much more sweeter.

You do not need to have an exorbitant amount of options, but offering really special options will create that magically charming touch; which may end up being more cost effective, less stressful to set up and more memorable for the guest experience.

C O V I D H O T C O C O A B A R

I would imagine most people are staying home for the holidays this year, either by mandate or personal choice. You can certainly create a mini version for you and your family or for yourself to make the Christmas movie night or board game night more festively special.