Today calls for chocolate.
Today a few of my friends are throwing an online party for one of my dearest friends, Bev. She’s about to welcome twins, and I can’t begin to express how excited I am for her.
Let me start at the beginning.
Bev and I met for the first time in an airport. We were headed to the same place and landed on a long layover together — and we never stopped talking. We were even lucky enough to sit together on the plane, which turned into a nonstop, four-hour conversation. Looking back, our nonstop chatter may have been annoying to other passengers; at one point a woman told us, “we can hear everything you are saying. EVERYTHING.” I probably don’t deserve a quiet flight until at least 2037 after that one.
On that flight I asked Bev a question most people wouldn’t ask within hours of meeting: did she want kids? She told me she did, and that she hoped to have a family. That honest exchange felt like the start of something real. Beyond the laughs and the silly moments, we connected on a deeper level.
Months later, Bev called me late at night to talk me down from a meltdown — I don’t remember what it was about, but she helped. She also once sent me a video of her playing Lisa Loeb’s “Stay” on guitar and singing every lyric perfectly. Exactly one year ago today I flew to New York so we could spend 24 hours together. We walked for miles, ate pizza at midnight and she kept me from crossing the street without looking — a small, motherly habit I appreciate.
We spent hours talking about the upcoming year and how it could be life-changing. Bev is one of the most optimistic people I’ve ever met; she’s someone I consult on big decisions. Exactly one year later, she’s talking about her babies and the wonderful reality ahead. And not just one baby — two. Double the love, double the work, and entirely worth it.
One of the few ways Bev and I differ is beverage preference. This hot chocolate might not be her first choice, but it’s a showstopper worth sharing. It’s an ultra-rich sipping chocolate made even more decadent with a spoonful of homemade marshmallow cream frosting on top. Don’t make the same mistake I did by serving it in enormous mugs unless you’re prepared to feel blissfully overstuffed.
Totally worth it.
Toasted Marshmallow Cream Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1/2 batch marshmallow cream frosting
- 2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, heavy cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk, chopped chocolate, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
- Stir constantly over medium heat until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling.
- Pour the hot chocolate into mugs. Top each serving with a tablespoon or two of marshmallow cream frosting — it’s very thick, so adjust to taste.
- If desired, lightly torch the marshmallow frosting to toast it. Serve with a spoon, as the marshmallow topping is rich and may smear.
P.S. Bev, I hope I can introduce Natalie to some hot pink lipstick in, like, 18 years.