#58: Recipe: Thick Hot Cocoa

Best ever cocoa!

My home has been known as the food house for a very long time. By that I mean when Duncan was a teenager my food budget was larger than my mortgage payment and his friends knew that grazing was encouraged and welcomed here. Food was the one easy way I was able to keep tabs on what was going on with him during what I call the mono-syllabic grunt stage teenage boys all seem to go through. How quickly time moves on as all these kids are grown now…some with families of their own.

Back then, on an afternoon break during my piano lesson schedule, a grazer named Sam mentioned something about loving hot chocolate. It must have been a cold day and I probably said something like…

I know the. best. recipe. for hot chocolate you’ll ever have. Do you want some?

Sure!

No hesitation in that reply.

From the cupboard I pulled down the ingredients I needed. He looked a little surprised when he saw the size of the little espresso cups and saucers I placed on the counter, but I assured him you won’t be disappointed. I don’t think he was because when Duncan arrived in the kitchen he was greeted with…

Hey man, you gotta try this. It’s effing good and you can almost stand up a spoon in it.

That was my cue to leave the happy grazers to enjoy the rest…and I think they did as I don’t recall anything but empty cups and saucepan in the sink when I finished teaching for the day.

By the way, Sam is now a professional chef. Next time he stops by to visit when he is in town I think more cocoa just might be in order…maybe with some cookies, too.

Enjoy a sweet and cozy weekend my friends!

Hot Cocoa with Cookies (Photo Credit: sevendeman)

Recipe follows for paid subscribers.

Recipe for Thick Hot Cocoa

(Shared by permission of Chef Greg Atkinson)

Makes 4 small servings

What You Need

• 1/4 cup dark (European-style) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• A small pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make

1. Put the dry ingredients into a medium saucepan and mix with a whisk.

2. Add the water and whisk until smooth.

3. Turn the heat up and keep whisking until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

4. Gradually stream in the milk, whisking all the while. While adding the milk keep the mixture hot and steamy, trembling just below the boil.

5. Reduce heat to medium and stir gently until the mixture is thickened and beginning to boil, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

7. Ladle into cups and enjoy.

Variations from Kate:

• Place a few cinnamon sticks into the saucepan in step 5 for some extra flavor. You might also try star anise, too.

• Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the cocoa when serving…or a dollop of whipped cream.

Hot Cocoa (Photo Credit: Lilechka75)