Friday, February 2, 2007
Some days, when the weather is frigid and the sky is grey, and everything on the opposite side of the window pane is white with snow and glittery with ice, nothing satisfies me more than a warm, frothy cup of hot chocolate.
I like the pure stuff. My favorite cup of hot chocolate is simple: cocoa powder, sugar and milk. Any kind of cocoa powder will work, but I must confess, I do like the European varieties better than Hershey’s. In my cupboard you’ll only find Droste from the Netherlands or Callebaut Extra Brut from Belgium: we’re talking straight cocoa powder, good and rich and meant to baked with (or turned into a wonderfully warm, drinkable winter elixir).
It only takes but a few steps to create such a simple pleasure:
1. Pour a cupful of milk into a pan and heat on top of the stove (be sure to continuously whisk in order to avoid burning). Or, if you’re in a hurry, heat a cupful of milk in the microwave.
2. Place 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 2 heaping teaspoons of sugar in the bottom of your favorite mug. Add just enough milk to the cocoa/sugar combination that when stirred, you create a chocolate paste.
3. Once the milk on top of the stove has reached your desired hot chocolate temperature, pour it into your mug.
4. Stir, sip, look through the window onto the cold scene outside, and enjoy the chocolate-y warmth spreading from your fingers to your toes.
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