Please update your Google Reader! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp
As the afternoon wore on during a snowed-in Saturday, I began to get restless. I love being snowed in, but after a few bad action movies, frantic cleaning bursts and repeated requests to make snacks from my turkey-loving husband, cabin fever set in.
I’m fairly certain I’ll be well prepared when I have kids someday.
To chase the chill and the stir-craziness, I decided to recreate one of my favorite Starbucks drinks while watching the snow fall outside.
I also needed something to soften the edges of my newlywed bliss, and I knew a cozy, boozy hot chocolate would help.
I made it even better by adding a few of my favorite treats.
Three chocolates is overkill, so I picked the Godiva white chocolate and set the others aside. They won’t go to waste.
I have a full-blown obsession with fresh whipped cream. I could whip an entire carton and eat it straight—especially when it’s lightly sweetened.
That whipped cream is exactly what this hot chocolate needed to finish it off.
I love the contrast of sweet and salty, so after topping each mug with whipped cream I sprinkled a little cocoa and cinnamon plus a touch of sea salt. The result was rich, comforting and surprisingly complex.
Salted Hot Chocolate
adapted from allrecipes
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used organic)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup Godiva or Bailey’s liqueur
Combine the cocoa and sugar in a saucepan, then whisk in the boiling water until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil while stirring, then simmer and stir for about 2 minutes—watch carefully so it doesn’t scorch. Stir in the milk and heat until very hot but not boiling.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, sea salt and liqueur. Divide the hot chocolate among four mugs. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream to cool it to drinking temperature, then sprinkle with a little cocoa and cinnamon.
My husband didn’t have any—he’s not big on hot drinks unless rum is involved. More for me, which I didn’t mind at all.