With temperatures dropping around the world (but not Germany…at least, not yet), here is a great recipe for some homemade chocolate that is rich and creamy! My husband came across this recipe for hot cocoa and loved it so much that it went out in our Christmas Letter a few years ago 🙂
There is something so comforting holding a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day, wrapped up in a blanket in front of the fire…mmmm. This recipe calls for a little bit of patience, but well worth the wait.
You need:
1 cup chocolate (hubby prefers a bar and a half of Rittersport German chocolate, dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
dash salt
2 cups half and half
5 1/2 cups milk (cut this back for thicker, drinking chocolate)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.
Add sugar, water, and dash salt to melted chocolate. Bring heat to medium, stir till boiling. Boil a full 2 minutes.
Add milk and half/half, keeping heat on medium, stir occasionally, DO NOT BOIL. When hot cocoa is steaming, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Serve in your favorite mug with marshmallows or homemade whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
Please Note: the type of chocolate chosen will influence the final product. My husband and I don’t like sickly sweet hot cocoa. We choose German dark chocolate to keep the sweet factor down. If you like sweet, I would suggest a semi-sweet chocolate chip or bar.
