Cold Weather’s Coming, So Here’s a Hot Idea!
When we finally DO get some wintery weather (pray for rain and snow), a good way to celebrate could be with a cold-weather party. And a perfect focus of a winter gathering would be a HOT CHOCOLATE BAR. Who doesn’t love hot chocolate, right?
If you like the idea, then the place to start is by making some extra special hot cocoa—maybe a couple different recipes. NO Nestle’s Instant for this event! Below are a couple recipes that are so good, I want to be buried with them! They’re sure to “WOW!” the most devoted chocolate fans at your party.
From there you look to “add-ins.” There is so much more you can add to a mug of hot chocolate besides the typical mini-marshmallows. The add-ins are limited only by your imagination. Really, what doesn’t go well with chocolate? Fill clever containers with any of these delicious and unusual suggestions and get ready for some tasty fun! Here are a few ideas, just to get you started:
And don’t forget presentation. Unique containers abound when it comes to holding your add-in assortments. Think outside the box (or dish). For instance, canning jars in various sizes are affordable and create a homey theme. Or place your add-ins in mugs (matching or otherwise). You get the idea.
A good homemade instant cocoa mix is a valuable time-saver, but if you’d like to provide hot cocoa already made (perhaps steaming in your slow cooker), here are our two favorite from-scratch cocoa recipes—you’ll likely want to double them.
And by the way, you can freeze your cocoa in ice cube trays to use later. Once the cocoa is frozen solid, pop the cubes into freezer plastic bags and return them to the freezer. They’ll keep nicely for a few months.
I like to add cocoa cubes to my scalding mug of cocoa—the brew cools down quicker plus I have a double-whammy of cocoa bliss this way!
AND, if you have a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can always use these scrumptious cubes to make your own version of frozen hot chocolate like that served at Manhattan’s famous restaurant, Serendipity.
Now for the recipes. I’d love it if you’d let me know if you try these and what you and your family think of them. Meanwhile, here’s to the coming cold weather!
DEEP DARK HOT CHOCOLATE
8 cups whole milk
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups bittersweet chocolate chopped
8 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
SNOWY WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE
4 cups white chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
16 cups half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
If you like the idea, then the place to start is by making some extra special hot cocoa—maybe a couple different recipes. NO Nestle’s Instant for this event! Below are a couple recipes that are so good, I want to be buried with them! They’re sure to “WOW!” the most devoted chocolate fans at your party.
From there you look to “add-ins.” There is so much more you can add to a mug of hot chocolate besides the typical mini-marshmallows. The add-ins are limited only by your imagination. Really, what doesn’t go well with chocolate? Fill clever containers with any of these delicious and unusual suggestions and get ready for some tasty fun! Here are a few ideas, just to get you started:
- Malted Milk Balls®
- Candy-coated chocolate pieces (M & Ms®, for instance)
- Cinnamon candies (think Red Hots®)
- Cookie Sprinkles
- Riesen’s® chocolate covered caramel candies
- Chopped Milky Way® candy bars
- Chopped 3 Musketeers® candy bars
- Mint truffles
- Homemade dressy marshmallows
- Priouline® cookies for swizzle sticks
- Peppermint candy canes for swizzle sticks (maybe covered in chocolate!)
- Cinnamon sticks for swizzle sticks
- Caramel and chocolate-coated pretzel sticks for swizzle sticks
- Flavored syrups
- Sweetened (maybe even flavored) whipped cream
And don’t forget presentation. Unique containers abound when it comes to holding your add-in assortments. Think outside the box (or dish). For instance, canning jars in various sizes are affordable and create a homey theme. Or place your add-ins in mugs (matching or otherwise). You get the idea.
A good homemade instant cocoa mix is a valuable time-saver, but if you’d like to provide hot cocoa already made (perhaps steaming in your slow cooker), here are our two favorite from-scratch cocoa recipes—you’ll likely want to double them.
And by the way, you can freeze your cocoa in ice cube trays to use later. Once the cocoa is frozen solid, pop the cubes into freezer plastic bags and return them to the freezer. They’ll keep nicely for a few months.
I like to add cocoa cubes to my scalding mug of cocoa—the brew cools down quicker plus I have a double-whammy of cocoa bliss this way!
AND, if you have a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can always use these scrumptious cubes to make your own version of frozen hot chocolate like that served at Manhattan’s famous restaurant, Serendipity.
Now for the recipes. I’d love it if you’d let me know if you try these and what you and your family think of them. Meanwhile, here’s to the coming cold weather!
Deep Dark Hot Chocolate and Snowy White Hot Chocolate
Yield: 8 servings each recipe
Ingredients:
DEEP DARK HOT CHOCOLATE
8 cups whole milk
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups bittersweet chocolate chopped
8 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
SNOWY WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE
4 cups white chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
16 cups half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
DEEP DARK HOT CHOCOLATE
In medium saucepan, warm milk and cream over medium-low heat. Add chocolate pieces and whisk until melted and combined. Add sugar, and whisk until dissolved. Stir until thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
SNOWY WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE
In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and cream. Stir continuously until chips have completely melted. Stir in half and half. Keep stirring until cocoa is heated through and reaches desired temperature for serving. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
In medium saucepan, warm milk and cream over medium-low heat. Add chocolate pieces and whisk until melted and combined. Add sugar, and whisk until dissolved. Stir until thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
SNOWY WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE
In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and cream. Stir continuously until chips have completely melted. Stir in half and half. Keep stirring until cocoa is heated through and reaches desired temperature for serving. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
