Hot Chocolate | Hot Cocoa

Hot Chocolate is super-easy to make and is almost a non-recipe. It’s that simple. Make sure to use good quality cocoa and always add a pinch of salt. Salt always ratchets up the chocolate flavour to another level, so don’t skip it. And another important thing to keep in mind is to never let the cocoa boil or it’ll get burnt and you’ll be left with that ugly scorched smell. I made this hot cocoa the morning we were starting on our vacation. 

So while the rest of my family were scampering about to stuff in last minute things into the luggage, I was photographing this hot chocolate. I was yet to bathe and dress up my kids. Jagan gave me nasty looks and I just about managed to click a few pictures with the drink in the frame. So as usual the pictures aren’t the greatest but the recipe is a definite keeper and is off Hershey’s cocoa box label. You can serve this hot or cold. Either way it is delicious. I am sending this to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon theme - Chocolates and to Srivalli's kid's potluck party.

Prep time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 2 mins

Makes: 2 Tall glasses

Ingredients

Dark Cocoa Powder – 4 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Sugar – 4 tsp

Water – ¼ cup

Warm Milk – 2 glasses

Fresh Cream – 2-3 tbsp (optional)

Method

1  .       In a pot combine, cocoa, salt and sugar to the water and heat. Let it come to just under a boil. Keep stirring so that the cocoa and sugar are dissolved and to make sure the cocoa doesn’t burn. Remove from heat when it begins to bubble around the edges.

2  .       Add this cocoa mixture to warm milk and stir to combine well. If using fresh cream, add at this stage and whisk or blend well to combine. Divide the hot chocolate between the two glasses and serve hot or refrigerate for 2-3 hours and then pour into individual glasses and serve cold.

Notes:

1  .       I used Fresh cream because I wanted my hot chocolate a bit thicker but it’s up to you. You can skip it all together.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#33