How To Make Homemade Hot Chocolate
Last night I wanted some hot chocolate so I went to the pantry and got out a package of instant hot chocolate and made a cup.
I know the fact I wanted chocolate will surprise some people. In fact when my cousin found out I was not a big chocolate fan she almost disowned me! lol
To be honest I think I like hot chocolate because it is a good excuse to melt some marshmallows.
Anyway while I was sipping this less than satisfactory concoction my memories took me back to the days when we owned an antique shop and it was Christmas Eve and the night of our big holiday party. I am in the kitchen (surprise right?) and all the kids are surrounding me. Not that I am the kid whisperer or anything no, it's because I was making homemade hot chocolate and the kids could not wait to taste it.
That got me thinking. So many people don't know how to make this delicious treat. We seem to have become a society of instant and convenience foods and homemade seems to have become a thing of the past.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with these kinds of food far from it. Every once and a while don't you want to make something special that could be fertile ground for wonderful memories as mine is?
I though you might so I went on line to get the right way to make hot chocolate. I didn't want to leave out any of what should go into by relying on my memory which sometimes is not always the greatest when it comes to some details.
Below are two different ways to make it:
How To Make Home Made Hot Chocolate
Method One: Bar Chocolate Ingredients
Method One: Bar Chocolate Ingredients
Serves four to six
6 ounces solid chocolate, chopped
4 cups milk (nonfat to cream, as rich as you prefer)
Cream (optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)
Optional flavorings, such as vanilla, herbs, and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg give nice notes to the finished drink), liqueur, mint etc.
Marshmallows (optional)
Directions:
1. Prepare the chocolate. Using a sharp knife (serrated knives well for this task), chop the chocolate into chunks. The finer the chop, the quicker the chocolate will melt.
2. Melt the chocolate. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate with 1 cup milk, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is fully melted. Add any additional flavorings while stirring in the cream.
3. Increase the heat to medium. Add the remainder of the milk, whisking continuously. If you notice black flecks floating on the surface, don't worry: these flecks are bits of unmelted chocolate, and will disappear as your delicious beverage heats up. Sometimes, whisking vigorously is necessary to dissolve unmelted chocolate completely.
4. If the mixture becomes too hot, or you feel that it might burn, remove pot from the heat and continue to stir, allowing the temperature to reduce. Put the pot back on the heat once the mixture has cooled. Do not allow the mixture to boil!
5,Served in small cups or large mugs.
Method Two: Powdered Cocoa Ingredients
Serves four to six
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk (nonfat to cream, as rich as you prefer)
1/4 cup water
Pinch of salt (optional)
Optional flavorings, such as vanilla, herbs and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg give nice notes to the finished drink), liqueur, mint etc.
Directions:
Method Two: Powdered Cocoa Ingredients
Serves four to six
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk (nonfat to cream, as rich as you prefer)
1/4 cup water
Pinch of salt (optional)
Optional flavorings, such as vanilla, herbs and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg give nice notes to the finished drink), liqueur, mint etc. Top of Form
Directions:
1. Combine cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. In a 2-quart sauce pan, whisk together the cocoa and sugar until blended. Add the water, and whisk until combined.
2.Cook over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop stirring, reduce the heat to medium low, and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.
3.As with the first method, you can add any flavorings you like at this point.
4.Add milk. Slowly add in the milk, stirring to blend. Heat the cocoa until it's very hot, but do not allow it to boil
5. Serve it up! Pour the cocoa into a cup or a mug.
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