Friday's Five: Hot Chocolate

I love hot chocolate. In college I would make hot chocolate early every morning before heading to breakfast. I think I might need to get back in that routine.  Chocolate in the morning only leads to a very good day. For today's Friday's Five I am sharing my favorite hot chocolates.

Hot Chocolate

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 5

Keywords: beverage Chocolate

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Instructions

Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch.

Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

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My favorite store bought hot chocolate is Ghirardelli. There are several flavors but I like the mocha or hazelnut the best.  The key to good hot chocolate is milk.  Please, please promise never ever to use water.

Serendipity in New York City has this famous Frozen Hot Chocolate. I don't know how else to describe it than delicious.  If you aren't close to NYC.  Paula Deen makes her own version with an at home recipe.

Godiva makes hot chocolate kind of like their truffles.  Very sweet, very rich, and very good!

Finally my special treat is Angelia's Hot Chocolate. This stuff is straight from France. There are some seriously little chocolate nuggets in there. The actual directions use half and half but I use milk.  It is still very decadent. If you ever have the opportunity to have some, trust me and run straight for a mug.

Finally, Annie Oakley's Kitchen awarded me a blog award. She makes all sorts of yummy goodness - check out her pies.   Seriously Apple Rosemary or Chocolate Peanut Butter. Which one would you pick?  Thanks for passing it along.  Too nice!

So, what does “Liebster” mean?

Liebster is a German word that literally translates to “dearest”, “favorite”, and “beloved”. By giving this award, one blogger says to another, “This is a favorite and beloved blog.” I am honored to receive it, knowing that I am “dear”, “favored”, and “loved” by other bloggers. Also, it is only awarded to blogs with under 200 subscribers.

Now it is time for me to pass along the honor! The winners of the award are listed below. Please take a moment and check out these fine blogs.

Below is the rules of the award:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award
3. Pick our five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs

• Baker Becky
• Oh Cake
• Sweet Peony
• In the Land of Spice
• Whipped Baking