Hot Chocolate Done Right

OK, fine. You can grab a packet of instant cocoa and drop it in boiling water. BAM! Instant BLAND hot chocolate. And that’s probably fine for the kids, because they probably don’t really know any better and wouldn’t appreciate a gourmet cup the way you and I would. But come on! We’re Grown Ups. We deserve the finer things in life… if for no other reason than for putting up with kids and the things they think are “food.”

One of my favorite evening pastimes in the winter is to savor a well-made cup of cocoa. There’s just nothing like snuggling into a good chair with a good book and a great cup of cocoa. So… here’s my recipe for a great cup of Hot Chocolate:

Ingredients:

10-12 oz. Whole Milk/Half and Half

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp high quality cocoa (nothing but cocoa!)

Dash of salt

Big dash of cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Small amount of HOT water

Whipped cream and/or marshmallows

Instructions:

Heat milk and/or half and half. You want fat here. If you’re on a diet, don’t drink hot chocolate. Except of course, if you’re preparing it for someone else and just happen to have enough left over for yourself. In that case, there are NO CALORIES in your cup.

Seriously, use whole milk. To make an even richer drink, use about 1/3 half and half. Heat on a stove to almost (but not) boiling. Yes you can cheat and use the microwave. But don’t overdo it, as it will mess up the taste.

While the milk is heating, combine all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. This is important. You want the dry ingredients mixed well to ensure fewer lumps later. Also as you stir, the coarseness of the sugar will break up any little clumps of cocoa.

Once thoroughly combined, add a few tablespoons of HOT water. Stir like crazy to create a thick paste. Continue to add water a little at a time, only until the mixture is thin enough to pour.

Add vanilla to your chocolate mixture and stir like crazy again.

When the milk is hot enough to scald your arm but still not boiling, (and, please, do NOT test this on your arm, OK?) pour chocolate mixture into hot milk. Stir like crazy to blend.

If you’re using a 12 oz. mug, you should only pour in about 10 oz. of hot chocolate. Why, you may ask, would I – the King of Excess – tell you that? Because you need room for whipped cream and/or marshmallows. If you want to be really decadent, use both, starting with marshmallows, then blanketing them with whipped cream.

For a final, fancy touch, sprinkle a little cocoa powder and/or cinnamon over the top. Do not stir until served.

You probably already know what cookies and such you want to serve with your cup, but allow me to recommend those expensive little shortbread cookies that come in a plaid box. They’re AWESOME!

One last suggestion: use high quality ingredients, such as gourmet cocoa, high grade cinnamon, sea salt, and real vanilla extract. The resulting cup will be much more enjoyable if you do. And as I said before, we’re grown ups and hopefully can appreciate the difference. And if not, you can always go back to the packaged stuff.

I’m just sayin’…

Hope you enjoy your gourmet cup of cocoa!

Until next time… play with your food!

Lane

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