GUEST Mia P. Manansala--Chai Hot Chocolate #giveaway

 

Leslie Karst here, pleased as punch--I mean hot chocolate--to bring you a delicious recipe for yes, chai hot chocolate, from the marvelous Mia P. Manansala. And she's giving away a copy of her newest book, Death and Dinuguan, to one lucky commenter! Take it away, Mia!

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you have a 2026 that's as sweet and satisfying as this drink.

The final book in my Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, DEATH AND DINUGUAN, is centered around an attack on the town’s new chocolate shop owners during the lead up to Valentine’s Day. As such, much of the food mentioned in the book is focused on chocolate. While I had fun coming up with fancy truffle, fudge, and chocolate bar recipes, my favorite recipe experiments were the creative spins on hot chocolate that my main character, Lila, and her partners served at the Brew-ha Cafe: Ube White Hot Chocolate, Mexican Hot Chocolate, as well as the Chai Hot Chocolate that I’m sharing below. Each drink is inspired by the cafe owners’ backgrounds and is a delicious way to fight the winter blahs.

The hot chocolate drinks served at the Brew-ha Cafe are rather decadent (Adeena, the barista, does not have the word “moderation” in her vocabulary) but I don’t like making my everyday drinks too rich, so I’ve included a range for how much chocolate to add. The higher the amount, the richer it gets, so make sure to adjust your sweetener accordingly!

Chai Hot Chocolate Recipe
Yield: about one 12oz mug

Ingredients:

1 TBSP loose-leaf chai or 2 chai teabags 
2 cups milk of choice
1 TBSP cocoa powder
2-4 TBSP chocolate chips or good quality chocolate bar, chopped up
2 TBSP brown sugar, jaggery, or sweetener of choice (or to taste)
Pinch of salt, optional

 

Directions:

Add the milk and chai to a medium saucepan. Choose a saucepan that’s slightly larger than you think you need since milk has a tendency to boil up.

Heat on medium until the milk comes to a simmer, then turn to low/medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Add the cocoa powder, chocolate, sweetener, and salt (if using) to the mixture and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and everything is well-incorporated. Taste and adjust to your palate. Too sweet or rich? Add more milk. Not sweet or rich enough? Add more chocolate or sweetener. You want a stronger chai flavor? Add another teabag or spoonful of tea leaves and let steep for a few minutes.

 

 

Once you get the flavor how you like it, turn off the heat. If using teabags, remove them now and pour the chai hot chocolate into a mug. If using tea leaves, ladle the mixture through a handheld strainer directly into your mug.

 

You can get fancy and top it with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, etc. but I prefer it straight. Enjoy! 

Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She is the author of the multi-award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and the YA mystery, DEATH IN THE CARDS. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her love for Millennial pop culture.
 
Find her on Facebook and Instagram: @MPMtheWriter 
Check out her website: www.miapmanansala.com

Find Death and Dinuguan here. 

 

 

And now for the GIVEAWAY: For all you hot chocolate drinkers out there, what’s the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had? If you don’t care for hot chocolate, what’s the best chocolate you’ve had (yes, white chocolate counts)? 

Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of DEATH AND DINUGUAN! Make sure to leave your email address in the comments. (U.S. only.)