Afterward, the perfect hot chocolate
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Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette
A cup of hot chocolate can do wonders on a cold day.
After a nippy winter's day, a frothy mug of hot chocolate can seem like the perfect answer to frosted toes and noses. And while a packet of cocoa mix with dehydrated marshmallows is better than nothing, the best drink after a day on the slopes is some homemade hot chocolate.
Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette
There's nothing mysterious about making hot chocolate. Try some of the recipes below.
Hershey's milk chocolate might be the standard many of us grew up with, tucked into Easter baskets and Halloween trick-or-treating bags, but the darker, bittersweet chocolates that contain a high percentage of cacao (at least 70 percent) have become increasingly popular and make a better, richer, more intense cup of chocolate. (They also contain more heart-healthy antioxidants than either milk chocolate or a 5-ounce glass of red wine.)
And while whole milk or cream makes a very smooth, creamy cup of hot chocolate, the high fat content actually dulls the intensity of the chocolate flavor, according to a recently released book, "Hot Chocolate: 50 Heavenly Cups of Comfort," by Fred Thompson (Harvard Common Press, $12.95). A cup of hot chocolate made with a chocolate bar, water and a little sugar will give you the most intensely chocolatey drink; if you want more creaminess, low-fat or no-fat milk can be a good compromise, according to Mr. Thompson.
When making hot chocolate from a bar, placing it on one point and shaving chocolate from the edges can work better than chopping it, which can send chips flying. The process only takes a few minutes, and chocolate shavings also melt faster than chips or chunks.
The recipes from "Hot Chocolate" that follow call for melting the chocolate in a double boiler (chocolate scorches easily over direct heat and in the microwave), but if you don't have one (and don't want to run out and buy one) you can improvise successfully.
To create a makeshift double boiler, fill a medium saucepan halfway full with water, bring to a boil, and place chocolate to be melted in a metal mixing bowl. Whisk continually as the chocolate is melting.
AUSTRIAN HOT CHOCOLATE
PG tested
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Marshmallow or sweetened whipped cream for garnish (optional)
a double boiler over low heat, combine the chocolate and water. Raise the heat to medium and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Add sugar, whisking to dissolve.
Warm the milk in a microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. Slowly pour the warm milk into the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until smooth and well combined. Pour the mixture into the mug. Serve topped with a marshmallow or whipped cream, if desired.
Serves 1.
THE TREEHOUSE "KEEP YOUR HEART PUMPING" HOT CHOCOLATE
Cinnamon is supposed to help lower your cholesterol, and this recipe includes an ample amount, along with low-fat, heart-healthy soy milk.
- 1 cup vanilla-flavored soy milk
- 2 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), chopped
- 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pour soy milk into a medium-sized saucepan, and place over medium heat. Bring to just under a boil; look for small bubbles on the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Return to heat and whisk in sugar, if desired, and the cinnamon. Simmer, whisking, for another minute.
Pour the hot chocolate into 2 cups, and serve immediately.
Serves 2.
HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CITRUS, CINNAMON AND BRANDY
This recipe is adapted from the New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park. It is great after a day on the slopes with friends or for a holiday party.
- 6 cups half-and-half
- One 4-inch cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup brandy
In a large saucepan, combine the half-and-half, cinnamon stick, orange zest, and brown sugar. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Bring to just under a boil; look for small bubbles on the sides of the pan. Turn off the heat and keep the pan warm.
In a large double boiler over low heat, melt the chocolate, and then strain the half-and-half mixture into it through a fine-mesh sieve. Whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Pour the hot chocolate into 8 mugs and serve immediately.
Serves 8.
"LET IT SNOW" COCOA
- 10 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups whiskey, or to taste
- Sweetened whipped cream for garnish (optional)
In a large pot, combine milk, cream, sugar and salt. Place over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until hot but not boiling. Whisk in the cocoa powder until no lumps remain. Bring to just under a boil; look for small bubbles around the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey.
Pour the cocoa into 12 mugs and serve immediately, topped with whipped cream if desired; or pour all the cocoa into a slow cooker and let guests serve themselves.
Serves 12.
The quest for a better, richer, more intense drink
First Published November 12, 2006 12:00 am
