Your favorite hot chocolate recipe

[moribundman]

Here's mine:

500 ml (17 oz) cow's milk (Pablo may use goat milk)
Tip: substitute a couple tablespoons of the milk with unsweetened condensed milk for a really creamy cocoa.
2 level tablespoons cocoa (Dutch processed is best)
1 teaspoon raw cane sugar (the impurities add flavor)

Throw sugar and cocoa powder in a sauce pan, add a little cold milk and whisk until smooth and lump-free. Add rest of the milk and heat while stirring. Don't heat the milk ever to the point of boiling, or you'll get that nasty skin floating on top. If you see steam rise from the milk, it's hot enough.

A couple tablespoons rum are optional. You can also put some whipped cream on top if your cholesterol is too low.

 

[MarkC]

Can you dunk a glazed doughnut in it?

 

[Gurkha]

Here is mine, few pieces of dark cooking chocolate, the bittersweet variety, vanilla bean, dash of rum, pure full cream cow's milk, brown sugar, scald the milk and add the ingredients, when all are mixed up and emulsified nicely, add egg yolk, country free range works best, wish the egg in nicely, this thing is more a dessert than a drink per se.

 

[Gurkha]

I meant whisk the egg, sorry for the typo.

 

[moribundman]

Gurkha, this sounds like a delicious power drink -- it's almost a pudding!

Mark, I prefer a croissant or brioche, but a donut will work. Dip away!

 

[Shannow]

Place 1-1/2 dessert spoons of home brand cocoa (it's the only 100% cocoa in the area) in a cup. Add boiling water.

Stir with a fork, as you sip the deliciously bitter concoction.

 

[moribundman]

No, you can't use hot water! I forbid it!

 

[The Critic]

Quote:

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Place 1-1/2 dessert spoons of home brand cocoa (it's the only 100% cocoa in the area) in a cup. Add boiling water.

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Never water.

Use whole milk or preferably, extra fat milk.

 

[Shannow]

milk makes it too...thick.
I struggle to have milk on my cereal, and still find it too thick.

 

[The Critic]

Quote:

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milk makes it too...thick.
I struggle to have milk on my cereal, and still find it too thick.

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The low-viscosity fans can use skim milk, which is near equivalent to water in my book.

 

[Gurkha]

If cow's milk is thick for you, you won't survive in India where majority prefer buffalo over cow's milk due to its extra thickness and fat content.

 

[Pablo]

Very plain! - you must use at least vanilla. I like Droste (spelling) cocoa powder, but Hershey's Dutch (silver tin) will do. Just a touch of sugar and a tablespoon of the appropriate Italian syrup (Almond/Vanilla/White Chocolate).

Thicker is better.

 

[moribundman]

Henceforth I shall call you Vanilla P.

Some may prefer hot chocolate over hot cocoa, and do I have a suggestion for the chocolate! Scho-Ka-Kola is a dark German chocolate with high caffeine content. It's been around since the early days of the Luftwaffe, and this chocolate was, and still is, supplied to the armed forces. It is commonly called "Fliegerschokolade" (pilot's chocolate). Scho-Ka-Kola has a low glycemic index, which is good. It will energize a person quickly and for a long time. Four little wedges contain as much caffeine as a cup of very strong espresso. Contains 58% cocoa, coffee, 0.2% caffeine and extract from the cola nut. That stuff got me through high school without falling asleep all the time. If you eat all 16 wedges, you'll be climbing walls all day and probably all night. It may also cause unwanted hair growth, I think.

Oh yeah, this stuff makes an awesome hot chocolate. Just melt some in a sauce pan and whisk hot milk in to taste. No sugar needed. I've used that chocolate sucessfully for chocolate glaze, or rather ganache (chococlate plus cream) for my rum-nut bunt cake. Rum + caffeine + cola nut = wheeee!

You can buy Scho-Ka-Kola online for about $5, which is unfortunately twice the suggested retail price.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Unfortunately my arteries can't take the above listed fat-loaded recipes any more, but I still like hot chocolate in the winter. I pour a cup of chocolate flavored soy milk in a cup, add a teaspoon of Ovaltine (fat & cholestrol free), and pop it in the microwave. Then add a few sugar-free mini-marshmallows.

It's more palatable than you'd think.....

 

[Pablo]

Makes you lively and strong. I'll say. I can't handle that much caffeine - give me some dark Brasil chocolate or some 98%+ Swiss.

LR - dark chocolate shouldn't be bad for you.

 

[moribundman]

500 ml (2 cups) milk (2% fat), 100 kcal, 3g fat
2 tablespoons cocoa, 40 kcal, 1 g fat
1 teaspoon sugar, 15 kcal
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That's a 1/2 liter with 155 kcal and 4 g fat. That comes to under 80 kcal and 2 g fat per cup. That's less calories than from the same amount of regular soda. Keep in mind cocoa contains healthy polyphenols and has a blood pressure lowering effect.

 

[Drew99GT]

Why drink hot chocolate when can have COFFEE (preferably with a good spiking of your liquor of choice)?

 

[moribundman]

Coffee and cocoa have not much in common in terms of flavor. Don't you like a variety of flavors?

 

[JavaMan]

If you like it thick, maybe mix it with buttermilk?

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Quote:

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LR - dark chocolate shouldn't be bad for you.

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Thanks for the heads-up on dark chocolate, P. That's about the only candy I eat anymore, and it does indeed contain flavanols that are healthy.

Mori, your recipe isn't bad at all, I was referring to the ones containing Yak milk and stuff.....