Hot Chocolate – The Winter’s Staple!

When cozying up on the couch in the nipping winters, Hot Chocolate is staple! Relish this divine beverage while it defrosts’ your body.

Ingredients:

• Ice Cream or Marshmallows or Sweetened Whipped Cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• A pinch of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Take a skillet. On a medium heat, combine cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and slowly stir in water. Keep stirring till a boil comes. After boil, stir for 2 more minutes. Add milk to the mixture while stirring the mixture constantly. Heat to the serving temperature as per your need. Do not boil.
2. Take off from heat. Add vanilla essence. Stir.
3. Grab a whisker, a rotary beater, or a blender and whisk till frothy.
   Note: you can skip this step if you do not a foamy drink.
4. Top it up with marshmallows or whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Serve.

Enjoy!

Other Hot Chocolate Variations:

You can also try adding one of the following along with the vanilla essence:

1. SPICED HOT COCOA: 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
2. MINT HOT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon of mint essence or 3 tablespoons of crushed hard peppermint flavored candy.
3. CITRUS HOT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon of orange essence or 3 tablespoons of orange liqueur.
4. SWISS MOCHA: 2 to 3 tablespoons of ground instant coffee.
5. HOT CHOCOLATE LATTE: Blink at marshmallows or whipped cream. Instead top up your hot chocolate with 2 scoops of softened vanilla ice cream at serving time.
6. DIET HOT COCOA: Blink at sugar. Instead combine cocoa, water, salt, and non-fat milk. Proceed with the same directions. Add vanilla essence. Stir in sugar substitute with sweetening equivalent to half-cup of real sugar.
7. CANADIAN HOT CHOCOLATE: 1/2 teaspoon of Maple Essence / Extract.