Skip to main content

Heart and Soul Hot Cocoa

This rich cocoa warms the heart and soul like no other. After you’ve served the cocoa, the leftover amount makes a good base for chilly chocolate milk the next day. Store it in the refrigerator and just splash in cold, fresh milk to lighten it up.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Choices:

Cocoa powders to consider are E. Guittard, Droste, Hershey’s, Scharffen Berger, or—by far my favorite—Valrhona.
3/4 cup sugar, or more
1/2 cup unsweetened alkalized or dutched cocoa powder, or more to taste
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons malt syrup (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Artisan marshmallows or whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

  1. Mix the sugar and cocoa together in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the milk, cream, and malt syrup in a big saucepan over medium heat. As the milk starts to warm up, scoop up about a cup of it and slowly whisk it into the sugar and cocoa mixture to form a paste. Add the paste to the saucepan and whisk until incorporated. Add the vanilla and salt. Adjust the flavors to taste. Continue heating until it is hot but not boiling. Use a ladle to scoop out servings into a mug. Serve with artisan marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream.

Chocolate Bliss
Read More
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
A flurry of fresh tarragon makes this speedy weeknight dish of seared cod and luscious, sun-colored pan sauce feel restaurant worthy.
The secret to flavorful, never-greasy eggplant parm? Brine the eggplant first.
Like hot honey chicken with peaches and a dirty martini spritz.
No grill needed for this just-charred-enough sweet and spicy chicken.
Just as great with coffee for breakfast as it is with amaro for dessert.