Hot Chocolate Two Ways

Here are two recipes for homemade hot chocolate: one made with cocoa, and one with melted chocolate.

“Cocoa” Hot Chocolate
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup boiling water
1/4 Cup unsweetened Dutch Process cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
dash ground cloves
dash ground nutmeg

3 Cups milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

STEPS
Combine water, cocoa, salt and sugar in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, stir frequently until cocoa is no longer “clumpy.” Add milk and vanilla to cocoa mixture, heat to scalding [just shy of boiling], whisking all the while. Serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, made with our Honey Powder.
Makes about four servings.

“Chocolate” Hot Chocolate
INGREDIENTS
2 oz. good chocolate
1/2 Cup water

3-1/2 Cups Milk

1 Vanilla Bean
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt

1 Stick Cinnamon for each cup
1 Tbsp whipped cream for each serving

STEPS
In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup boiling water.

In another pan, add a vanilla bean to the 3-1/2 cups of milk and heat to scalding. Add sugar and salt and stir with a whisk to dissolve. Strain out the vanilla bean, and pour milk-sugar mixture into the melted chocolate pan, and combine with the wire whisk.

Put a stick of cinnamon into each cup, and fill cup with hot chocolate. [For a holiday twist, use a peppermint stick instead of the cinnamon]. Top each cup with fresh whipped cream before serving. Makes about six servings.