Yeah, yeah, I know. It's still pretty hot here in Atlanta, GA. But it IS after Labor Day and it is September. So even though the weather doesn't justify it yet, I've dragged out my hot chocolate recipe. And make no mistake ... it's GOURMET HOT CHOCOLATE! Forget the instant hot chocolate or the hot chocolate mix because this stuff is g-o-o-d. And depending on your 'additives', it's even healthy!
First you need a cup of milk, of course. I prefer almond milk, but there's also soy milk or rice milk. Honestly, I think that regular cow's milk is extremely unhealthy - but if you insist, use it.
Put your milk in a pan and add 2-3 Tablespoons of cocoa. I buy organic cocoa from my local Whole Foods market, but Hershey's has a can that's not too bad. It's "Special Dark" and some of it is processed with alkali which isn't a good idea at all. But if you can't get the organic kind, it'll work. First try 2 T and see if that's enough or if you want some more.
Then throw in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 scoop of Stevia. Again, this is personal taste about the amounts.
So what's the big deal about my hot chocolate recipe? Why call it gourmet hot chocolate because it's just like all the others, right? Wrong! What's make this so interesting is the wide range of additives like:
* Cimnamon
* Pumpkin pie spice
* Creme de Menthe
* Amaretto
* Rum flavoring
* Cointreau
* ANY flavor of Baileys
* Hazelnut Liqueur
I repeat: forget the instant hot chocolate or the hot chocolate mix. If you're going to drink this luscious stuff, make it a cup to remember. And here's to you! I hoist a cup of gourmet hot chocolate in your direction. And by the way ... be creative with this hot chocolate recipe and find flavors that you love. The list above is just to stir your creative juices a bit.
