Hooray for the holidays and all of the festivities. Things are getting a bit cooler outside, and our fingers and toes are getting a bit frosty. What better way to warm them up than with a nice mug of hot chocolate to drink!
There is nothing nicer after an evening out caroling with friends, or after an afternoon of intense Christmas shopping, than warming your toes by the fire and hunkering down under a cosy wool blankie with a hot mug of this to take the chill off your fingers.
This is actually quite healthy, or would be if you use skim milk instead of whole milk and left off the marshmallows. Using dark chocolate and only mild molasses for sweetener instead of sugar. It's fabulous!
It goes together lickety split, in just the time it takes for you to heat the milk. A bit of dark chocolate gets whisked into the hot milk to melt and a bit of cinnamon extract . . .
A few marshmallows on the top and you are enjoying a lovely hot beverage before you can say Jack Rabbit! Okay . . . that is a bit more than a few marshmallows, but I wanted to use them for effect. No diabetics were hurt in this exercise. I had mine without. Todd had the one with all of the mallows, and dark chocolate is rather good for you don't you know.
*Spiced Hot Chocolate*Serves 4Printable Recipe
A delicious and easy hot beverage to enjoy during the holidays. Simple, quick and so easy to make!
675ml whole milk (3 cups)85g good quality high cocoa content dark chocolate, broken into bits (about3 ounces)2 TBS mild molasses1/2 tsp cinnamon extractmini marshmallows to serve
Place the milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the edges of the milk have bubbles all around and it just begins to steam. Drop in the chocolate and cinnamon extract. Whisk to melt the chocolate. Divide between 4 mugs, top with marshmallows and serve immediately.
Note - alternately you can use 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. I like the extract because it mixes in better. I adapted this recipe from one found on The Canadian Living site. If you like you can use a cinnamon stick as a stirrer for even more spice!
Happy Holidays and Bon Appetit!
