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Community Corner

Chef Recipe: Hot Chocolate for a Cold Day

The key to a good hot cocoa is fine chocolate.

It’s 15 degrees outside, you have just shoveled your driveway or perhaps come in from an afternoon of cross country skiing. My favorite way to warm up is with a cup of hot cocoa. And the key to a good cocoa is an excellent chocolate. I prefer Valrhona, a fine quality French chocolate. I recently visited Burdick’s Chocolate Shop in Walpole, New Hampshire, which sells a superb chocolate cocoa as well. Here is a simple recipe for hot cocoa.

The Dish: Guy's Hot Cocoa

  • 1 quart whole milk or raw milk (in Vermont)
  • 6 coffee beans
  • 8 tablespoons unsweetened Valrhona cocoa powder, or other high quality chocolate powder 
  • 4 tablespoons sugar

Method

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In a large saucepan combine the milk and coffee beans. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the liquid, and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. In a bowl whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar. Slowly whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk. Return the liquid to a boil and strain the hot cocoa into a warm coffee or tea pot ready for serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Note: To adjust the hot cocoa to your taste, increase or decrease the amount of powder you use. To make the cocoa creamier and richer, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the milk.

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