It’s been snowing the last 4 or 5 days here in the Seattle area. Now I grew up in Alaska, but I’ve got to say that we Washingtonians know how to have a good time in the snow too! Whether we’re counting the BMW’s in the ditch, watching the enormous amounts of toilet paper and bottled water go out of the nearby store, or using the snow blower that’s gotten approximately 5 hours of run time in the last three years, we still make time to get the sleds out and make a pass or two down Dead Man’s Hill!
Top off the perfect day in the snow with my favorite hot cocoa. Thick, rich and creamy, you’ll be hard pressed to go back to those powdery packets.
For an extra dose of deliciousness garnish with Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows.
Gourmet Hot Cocoa
1/4 cup dark (European style) cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s Extra Dark)
1/4 cup brown sugar or sweetener of choice (I often halve this and use stevia or xylitol in place of the rest – in smaller quantities of course)
2 Tbs organic (non-GMO) cornstarch (look for it in the Fred Meyer health food section)
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup water
2 cups milk (I substitute 1 c. with unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened chocolate almond milk. This cuts down on calories too!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Put the cocoa powder, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt into a saucepan and stir with a whisk to mix. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Put the pot on the burner over high heat and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil (careful, it globs up fast! So have your milk ready).
- Gradually stream in the milk, whisking all the while. While adding the milk, keep the mixture hot and steamy, just below the boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir gently for 3-5 minutes, or just until the mixture is thickened and beginning to boil. Remove the cocoa from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Ladle into cups and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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