Stacy Lyn's Best Hot Chocolate Recipe
A rich, dessert-like hot chocolate with melted chocolate, vanilla bean, and a dash of cayenne.
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 8 ounces high quality milk chocolate chopped (I like Ghirardelli)
- 8 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli, chopped
- ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee grounds
- Pinch of salt
- Small pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or a teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bring the milk and half-and-half almost to a boil over medium-high or medium heat. Lower to a simmer and add the chocolate, cocoa, espresso, salt, and cayenne. Whisk until the mixture is smooth -- keep whisking if you like a frothy texture. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and turn off the heat.
- Pour the hot chocolate into mugs and serve with whatever toppings your heart desires: a scoop of peppermint ice cream, caramel sauce, a pinch of cinnamon, homemade marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed peppermint, a festive candy cane, or anything else you like!
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