Rich, Chocolatey, Hot Cocoa
11/08/2011
"It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
The day is cold and dreary and I would like nothing more than to curl up by a crackling fire with my current new read, Pumpkin Roll a culinary mystery and a steaming mug of hot cocoa. Alas, this will have to wait till this evening as I have 1,000,000 lines in my To Do list.
As it is November and Thanksgiving is an American holiday, I am taking this month to again honor New World Foods. These are the indigenous plant foods of the Americas. Cacao has been found as far as 4000 years ago in Central America. So to start, here is my modern recipe for Hot Cocoa.
Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
2 1/2 C fat free milk
2 C fat free half-and-half
8 oz chopped dark chocolate
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon or instant espresso powder (your preference)
cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Directions
Heat the milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan on medium low. Take the pan off the heat and slowly whisk in the chopped chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is completely melted and combined into the milk, then add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon whisking vigorously to make foamy. Place saucepan back to the stove on low to reheat. Serve immediately with cinnamon stick.
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