Heavenly Hot Chocolate

When I was a kid one of the things I looked forward in the winter was hours of playing outside in the snow then coming inside to a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows that my mom would make. And as an adult, I still crave a good cup of hot chocolate when it’s cold out. There is a place in New York that everybody here knows called City Bakery that is known to have the best hot chocolate in NYC. It’s like the hot chocolate you get in France … thick and creamy, made from pure chocolate … none of that powdery business. That’s how I like it. Over the years I’ve experimented with making homemade hot chocolate and I’ve perfected a mix that I absolutely love. I make mine with semisweet chocolate, coconut sugar and coconut milk because I don’t do dairy, but all of the coconut ingredients can be substituted seamlessly for milk and sugar. This hot chocolate is so rich and so decadent….like drinking warm liquid chocolate. I can’t think of anything better on a cold winter day. If you love chocolate, you’ll absolutely love this heavenly hot chocolate recipe…And it’s SO easy to make! Scroll down for the details…

Gold flecked mug, spoon and espresso saucer all from Calvin Klein Home

Heavenly Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup coconut milk (or whole milk if you prefer)
1/2 cup coconut cream (or heavy cream if you prefer)
1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate (the higher the cacao content the better)
1 TBSP coconut sugar (or regular sugar if you prefer)
1/2 TSP vanilla

In a heavy saucepan heat the cream and chocolate together on low heat and whisk together until melted. Then, slowly pour in the milk and stir. Finally, add coconut sugar and vanilla. Reduce the heat further if the mixture starts to boil. Continue stirring until mixture is thick and smooth. Pour into a mug, top with homemade vanilla marshmallows and enjoy! TIP: I don’t actually use a saucepan – I happen to have this stainless steel, one piece double boiler pot in my kitchen arsenal and it’s amazing for making hot chocolate! It heats the chocolate evenly and it will never burn which works well for a lazy cook like me because I can let the chocolate simmer for longer while I multitask without having to monitor it too closely and I don’t have to worry about it ever burning or getting too hot. When using this pot I melt the chocolate first, then I mix in the milk, cream sugar and vanilla and blend with a whisk. once combined, I let it simmer for a bit longer to get nice and hot! The pot is also great for making custards, gravies and heating up sauces. I’d highly recommend checking it out. You can find one here, here or here.

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