Chai hot chocolate with spiced waffle dippers

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. For the hot chocolate, put the cream, milk and whole spices in a pan and warm over a medium heat until just steaming. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
2. Brush the waffles with the melted butter, then spread over a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. Mix the 3 tbsp sugar and ground spice in a large bowl. Once the waffles are crisp, remove from the oven and toss in the spiced sugar to coat.
3. While the waffles bake, strain the infused cream mixture into a clean pan, discarding the whole spices. Mix the cornflour with a dash of the mixture, then whisk it back into the mixture along with the chocolate. Continue to whisk over a medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened (about 4 minutes). Remove from the heat, then stir in the sugar to taste.
4. Divide the hot chocolate among small cups or glasses and serve immediately, with the spiced waffles alongside for dipping.