Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate

Name: Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 2 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 pinch salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 1 pinch chili powder or 1 pinch cayenne, for mystery; 4 tablespoons skim milk; 4 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, grated or 9 tablespoons dark cocoa; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; sugar, to taste; OPTIONS; 1 -2 teaspoon of a sweet liqueur, adding it with the vanilla (such as dark rum or Grand Marnier) (optional); 2 tablespoons ginger syrup (optional); unsweetened whipped cream (optional) or lightly sweetened whipped cream, as a garnish (optional)

13 ingredients

10 steps

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1 pinch chili powder or 1 pinch cayenne, for mystery
4 tablespoons skim milk
4 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, grated or 9 tablespoons dark cocoa
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
sugar, to taste
OPTIONS
1 -2 teaspoon of a sweet liqueur, adding it with the vanilla (such as dark rum or Grand Marnier) (optional)
2 tablespoons ginger syrup (optional)
unsweetened whipped cream (optional) or lightly sweetened whipped cream, as a garnish (optional)

Directions

1

IF USING CHOCOLATE:
2

Grate chocolate (manually or in food processor fitted with steel blades). Add in corn starch, sugar, and salt.
3

IF USING COCOA:
4

Mix solid ingredients, butter, and a little warmed milk to make a smooth paste; add remaining milk.
5

In a one-quart, heavy-bottomed, non-aluminum saucepan, heat milk over medium low heat, stirring often with small whisk, until it is steaming hot. Carefully add chocolate mixture.
6

Continue cooking mixture, stirring almost constantly with whisk and scraping bottom and sides of pot with heat resistant spatula frequently. Mixture will steam for several (15-20) minutes before coming to a boil, and will thicken slightly.
7

When mixture boils, continue cooking and stirring for only 30 to 45 seconds.
8

Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla, sugar (as much as you want) and any optional ingredients.
9

TO SERVE:
10

Divide among small 4 cups or mugs, and mix 1 tablespoon of skim milk in each mug to achieve desired consistency; you may need to warm in microwave once skim is added.