Hot Chocolate.

This is more like liquid chocolate that tastes like velvet on your tongue.  In a mug.  It is really chocolat chaud, the French way to make hot chocolate that I learned from my Belgian host mom.  Those Belgians are awesome at beer and chocolate.  Both are extraordinary. 

I think once you take a sip of chocolat chaud, you will be crazy to return to anything from a mix.  It has been freaking cold here in Ohio, so it’s the perfect time to give this a try.

You will need:

2 cups of whole milk, half & half, or cream {I used 1/2 cream, 1/2 half & half}

3 – 4 ounces of chocolate with  70% or more Cocoa, chopped {I used Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate}

1 TB dark brown sugar {light brown is ok if you have it on hand}

I also added 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to the cream to give it a little extra something, but it is not necessary and not part of traditional chocolat chaud.

Heat the cream and dark brown sugar {and vanilla if you want} until just steaming.  Remove the cream from heat and add the chopped chocolate whisking furiously until it is completely incorporated.

It yields about three small mugs of hot chocolate.  I’ve also been known to do a half a mug of this and fill the rest with hot coffee for a yummy mocha.

Enjoy!