I did this as fast as I could, knowing there would be cocoa waiting in a pot upstairs on the stove in the warm kitchen.
Real hot chocolate doesn't come from a tin, mixed with hydrogenated palm oil and preservatives, heated with tap water in the microwave.
Homemade cocoa kept warm in a pot on the stove is so good after a day of snowman-building, trying to slide down the sloping front lawn without ending up on the road, and pretending to skate on the icy circle around the clothesline pole in the backyard.
This is the kind of hot chocolate you drink after a sleigh ride, if you live in the country and have your own horse with bells on its harness.
For quick cups of hot cocoa, make chocolate syrup to keep in the fridge, ready to add to hot milk. This chocolate syrup has no preservatives so should be refrigerated and used up quickly. Offer a cup of hot cocoa to everyone who comes over.
If your neighbour knocks at the door, frozen from clearing your path for you after a snowstorm, add a little Irish whiskey or dark rum to the bottom of the cup if they like that.
Hot Chocolate
Serves 8
- 2 cups cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 8 cups whole milk, divided
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- toasted marshmallows, for serving
In a large saucepan, combine cocoa powder and sugar.
Whisk in 1-1/2 cups milk to make a thick paste.
Gradually whisk in remaining 6-1/2 cups milk..
Add cinnamon sticks and, stirring occasionally, simmer 8-10 minutes or until cinnamon is fragrant.
Remove cinnamon sticks.
Add chocolate chips, stir until melted.
Serve, topped with toasted marshmallows.
Marilyn's Cocoa Syrup
This is the recipe my Mom uses to make cocoa syrup. To use as a beverage, mix 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of cocoa syrup to one 8-ounce (225 ml) glass of cold milk or hot milk in a cup to make cocoa. The syrup keeps indefinitely in the fridge.
Yields 3 cups.
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract (optional)
Mix the cocoa, salt and sugar in a pot.
Add the boiling water and stir.
Bring back to a boil then turn heat down to simmer, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, 5 minutes.
Turn off heat. Add vanilla if using.
Cool, cover, and refrigerate.
To make cocoa, stir 2 Tbsp cocoa syrup into 1 cup hot milk.
Homemade Instant Cocoa Mix
Sift together:
- 3 cups icing sugar
- 1-1/2 cups cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered milk (homogenized if available)
Store in an airtight container.
To use, whisk 1/2 cup of the cocoa mix in 1/2 to 1 cup of boiling water (to taste).
If you use skim milk powder in the mix, add the cocoa mixture to hot milk instead of water for a creamier drink.
To give as gifts: Put dry cocoa mixture in a nice jar, top with miniature marshmallows and a sprinkle of cinnamon or crushed candy canes.
Homemade Quick Cocoa by the Cup
Whisk in a little cold milk:
- 2 tsp. cocoa
- 2 tsp. white sugar
Stir into 1 cup of hot milk.
Blender Hot Chocolate for 4
- 2-1/2 cups scalded milk
- 2 squares high quality unsweetened chocolate (1 oz. each)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
- dash of salt
Cut each square of chocolate into 4 pieces.
Rinse the blender container with hot water.
Pulse in the blender 1 minute: 1/2 cup scalded milk, chocolate, sugar, vanilla, salt.
Blend longer if necessary, until mixture is smooth and colour is even.
Add remaining scalded milk and blend till mixed.
Pour into cups to serve immediately.
Hot Chocolate & Spiked Hot Chocolate
Use the finest chocolate you can find (80% cocoa content) or squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate.
Serves 3-4 adults.
- 1 cup grated or finely-chopped chocolate (3 squares of baking chocolate)
- 4 cups homogenized milk
- 1 tsp vanilla (or 2 tsp Kahlua, Tia Maria, brandy or chocolate liqueur)
- whipped cream, miniature marshmallows, or other toppings (optional)
- Heat the milk on medium, stirring.
- Stir in vanilla or liqueurs.
- Pour a cup of the hot milk mixture into a bowl.
- Gradually add the shaved or finely chopped chocolate while stirring constantly till the chocolate melts. Then stir in the rest of the hot milk, beating with an egg beater or immersion blender if you like your drink frothy.
- Pour into cups and add toppings if desired: marshmallows; whipped cream and maraschino cherry and a little more grated chocolate; cinnamon mixed in a little icing sugar; or extra liqueur.
- Or add a little extra sugar or sweetener to the hot chocolate mixture and pour over crushed ice, vanilla ice milk, or frozen vanilla or chocolate yogurt in a cup. Top with a little whipped cream and provide a spoon.
Chocolate Mint Hot Chocolate:
Use a mint chocolate bar (with a high real cocoa content) for your grated chocolate. OR make chocolate mint cocoa by adding 5-6 drops of peppermint extract per cup of cocoa. Offer a chocolate mint stick as a "stir stick."
Hot Cocoa for 6
- 5 to 6 Tbsp sifted cocoa powder
- 5 to 6 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
In a heavy saucepan, mix: cocoa, sugar, salt.
Add water, whisk.
Boil gently 2 minutes over direct heat, stirring until slightly thickened.
Stir in the milk heating slowly until scalding hot.
Remove from heat.
If not using right away, cover and keep hot by placing the pot over another pot of hot water.
Just before serving, mix in the vanilla.
If desired, beat cocoa in a mixer until foamy.
Serve hot with whipped cream, marshmallow cream or marshmallows if desired.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups of 1% milk
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 peppermint sticks
- 4 candy canes
- 1/4 cup chocolate syrup or sauce
Crush the peppermint sticks and candy canes into small pieces, separately.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add cocoa powder.
Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly until cocoa powder dissolves.
Add chocolate chips and crushed peppermint.
Simmer over medium heat until melted.
Lauren's Doctored Cocoa Drink Mix
After snow shovelling, Lauren makes hot chocolate that's great, even though she uses powdered mix from a package and hot water from a coffee machine instead of boiling it in the kettle.
- Empty 1 package instant hot chocolate mix into a cup with some broken candy cane pieces.
- Add hot water from the coffee machine to 3/4 full.
- Stir so that the candy cane pieces start to melt
- Top with marshmallow.
- Warm everyone not to choke on the candy cane bits that might be left at the bottom of the cup.
Rimmed Version:
Pour some chocolate sauce in one shallow dish and crushed candy cane into another.
"Rim" the mugs by dipping the tops into the chocolate sauce and then the crushed candy cane.
Pour hot chocolate mixture into the mugs.
Valentine Option: Hot chocolate topped with candy cinnamon hearts.
Hazelnut Option: Put a dollop of Nutella in a mug of hot chocolate.
