L'Apres Ski

Name: L'Apres Ski
Ingredients: Hot chocolate; 1 1/2 ounces cognac (or if you're into hazelnut flavor you can try frangelico, it makes sweeter and more desserty); 2 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or you can make vanilla sugar by keeping a vanilla bean in some sugar and then just use that instead and omit the extract); Pinch (a small one) salt (preferably fine sea salt as regular salt can have a slightly abrasive flavor); 2 tablespoons finely chopped good dark chocolate (65-70% cocoa solids, at least); 1 1/2 cups whole milk; Cognac whipped cream; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon cognac

12 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

Hot chocolate
1 1/2 ounces cognac (or if you're into hazelnut flavor you can try frangelico, it makes sweeter and more desserty)
2 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or you can make vanilla sugar by keeping a vanilla bean in some sugar and then just use that instead and omit the extract)
Pinch (a small one) salt (preferably fine sea salt as regular salt can have a slightly abrasive flavor)
2 tablespoons finely chopped good dark chocolate (65-70% cocoa solids, at least)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Cognac whipped cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cognac

Directions

1

Get out two mugs and divide the cognac between them. (If you like your drinks to have a pretty solid cognac punch to them, you can add a little splash more.)
2

In a saucepan (with the heat turned off), combine the cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, salt, and chopped chocolate. Whisk in a few Tablespoons of the milk to make a paste. Whisk in a bit more to make a thinner paste. Then, turn the heat to medium. And cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until it begins to warm.
3

Whisk in the rest of the milk and as it heats, keep whisking to blend the chocolate shavings in as they fully melt. Heat the hot chocolate until it is steaming and is hot to the touch (I just stick my finger in there because I don't own a thermometer and I figure it's not going to hurt anyone) but not yet simmering. You don't want it to bubble.
4

Pour the hot chocolate into the mugs over the cognac, stir, and top each mug with a nice dollop of cognac whipped cream. Garnish with some chocolate shavings, if desired, then relax and enjoy!
5

Whip all the ingredients together until peaks (that are right in between soft and stiff) form. Dollop on top of the hot chocolate. This will make more than you need, but I find it hard to whip cream in a much smaller amount than half a cup, and I trust that you will find good use for the rest of it.