3 ounces milk chocolate
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup half-and-half or cream

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Mayan Hot Chocolate

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Adult Hot Chocolate

• 1.5 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
• 1 whipped Cream
• 1 cup Chocolate mix mixed in water

Mix the peppermint schnapps with the hot chocolate in the cup.

Decorate the cup with some whipped cream on the top.

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Mexican Style Hot Chocolate #102

This hot chocolate is wonderful and wonderfully easy to make.

 1 wheel (3 oz.) Mexican Style Sweet chocolate (See note below)

1/2 gallon milk

 1 Vanilla bean (optional) whipped cream for garnish

 8 oz. Kahlúa® or other coffee liquer

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Heat milk and chocolate over medium high heat, stirring frequently to mix chocolate as it melts.

If you're using the vanilla bean, split it open and scrape seeds into milk, add pod and proceed with heating milk and chocolate (remove bean pod before blending and serving).

When milk is very hot and all chocolate is melted, add liqueur (if desired) and put mixture in a blender and puree, or whisk by hand to mix well.

Pour into cups, top with whipped cream and serve.

 Note: Mexican Sweet Chocolate can be found in the Latin Foods section of your grocery store, or in Latin Food Markets. This chocolate is high in sugar and flavord with cinnamon and sometimes almonds. Ibarra and Abuelita are two popular brands.

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Hot Chocolate Nog

It's best to serve this delicious beverage immediately, while it's still hot.

yield: 7 1/2 cups


1 quart eggnog
2 cups milk
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup bourbon*
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Miniature marshmallows

Heat first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in bourbon. Stir in nutmeg. Pour mixture evenly into 8 mugs. Top with marshmallows, and serve immediately.

*1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract may be substituted for bourbon.

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Chocolate Caliente 

4 squares Baker's chocolate broken into small pieces

2 cups skim milk

2 or 3 drops of vanilla extract

pinch of cinnamon pinch of ground cloves

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Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently stirring.

 Do not boil.

 Mix with a whisk and then pour into mugs.

Sprinkle additional cinnamon over the top and add sugar to taste.

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serves 2

1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

2 cups whole milk

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In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream with sugar until it just holds stiff peaks.

 Chop chocolate and reserve 2 teaspoons.

 In a small saucepan, heat milk with remaining chocolate over moderate heat, stirring, until it just comes to a simmer.

Pour hot chocolate into 2 large mugs and top with whipped cream and reserved chocolate.

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Giuseppe Lamma's Bolognese Hot Chocolate, Circa 1660

Serves 8 to 12.

Recipe~ halves and doubles easily. From the court of the Bentivoglio family in Bologna during the 1600's comes this recipe for hot chocolate. Their cook, Giuseppe Lamma, was responding to the fashion of the day in writing a recipe for processing the cocoa bean along with his own rendition of the drink, chocolate (the candy was still far off). Some historians claim Italians taught the art of chocolate making to the French and English in the 1700's. Another logical explanation is all the Spanish connections with those countries through diplomacy, noble marriages and alliances. After all, it was the Spanish who brought chocolate to Europe from the America's, and they adopted chocolate drinking with great enthusiasm. Do try this recipe as written, then you might want to substitute milk for the water. Serve as a dessert in small cups, or chill and spoon up as a cream.

3 to 4 4-inch cinnamon sticks, crushed

2 to 4 8-inch long vanilla beans, split (after using, dry and save for another recipe)

zest of a small orange

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

2 quarts (8 cups) water

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1-1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

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Combine all ingredients except chocolate and extract in a 4 quart pot.

Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

 Turn off heat, leave covered, and let steep 15 to 20 minutes.

Strain into an 8-quart pot.

 Set over medium heat, adding the chocolate.

Whisk until just below the boil, tasting for extra vanilla.

Then froth by whisking vigorously.

Ladle into small cups and serve hot.

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Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate 

8 oz. milk

 2-4 tsp Chocolate syrup

 1 tbsp Peanut Butter Whipped cream topping (best in the spray can)

Chocolate sprinkles

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 In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat the milk through.

(Skim off the top with a spoon if necessary.)

Stir in chocolate syrup.

 Stir in peanut butter until melted.

Garnish with whipped cream topping and chocolate sprinkles.

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Orange Scented Hot Chocolate 

2 servings

When the use of chocolate became common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, chocolaterías opened in Madrid, serving hot chocolate to weary voyagers and the homeless. In Spain, the warming elixir is distinguished by the addition of spice, but especially by its rich, frothy texture, achieved by heating and beating it several times. Traditionally, a wooden hand mill called a molinillo is used, but a whisk works as well.

2 cups milk

 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

(3) 2 by 1-inch orange peel strips (orange part only)

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

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 Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.

 Stir over low heat until chocolate melts.

 Increase heat and bring just to boil, stirring often.

 Remove from heat and whisk until frothy.

 Return to heat and bring just to a boil again.

Repeat heating and whisking once again.

 Discard orange peel.

(Can be prepared 2 hours ahead.

Let stand at room temperature.

Before serving, bring just to boil, remove from heat and whisk until frothy.)

Pour hot chocolate into mugs.

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John Lennons' Beatle Cocoa

serves 2

Directions:
Mix cocoa, sugar and salt. Dilute with 1/2 cup boiling water to make a smooth paste. Add remaining water. Boil 1 minute. Turn into scalded milk. Beat for 2 minutes with a rotary beater.

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A life of piety and chastity has to call for something sensual occasionally. Yes, you can enjoy the seductive chocolate flavor and thick creaminess of this Italian hot chocolate without fearing the loss of other worldly pleasures, but this confection is sure to elicit a moan from all who partake. Drinking any of the great Italian-style hot chocolates is almost a religious experience. Over and over again, people who taste this drink for the first time say, "Oh, my God." Is that enough encouragement to give this one a try? Don't overlook the importance of the orange zest or the arrowroot. The oil from the zest gives the chocolate a fresh kick, and the arrowroot thickens the mixture.

Serves 2 in cappuccino cups or 4 in espresso cups.

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8 min | 2 min prep

SERVES 2 -4

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