HPS Test Kitchen: Hot Spicy Chocolate

What’s chocolate entrepreneur John Scharffen-Berger’s favorite dessert? Really good, thick hot chocolate, served in a demitasse cup with a few slices of a perfect pear or two pieces of shortbread. During the holidays, he likes to add rum or brandy to drinking chocolate and serve it instead of eggnog. You can make this recipe without the spices, but for an authentic Mexican-style chocolate, add the cinnamon and cayenne. It can be prepared ahead (it will keep up to three days refrigerated), but know the flavors of the spices will intensify and the mixture will thicken.

This recipe is from “The Essence of Chocolate” by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg. Bunny and I tried it and it was very good. We used a sweetened dark chocolate and so left out the granulated sugar; plus I left out the cayenne for Bunny, who didn’t want it spicy! However, I love the combination of cinnamon and cayenne and added a little too much to my cup. Oops! It was still good though.

John’s Classic Drinking Chocolate
Makes 6 ( 1/2 -cup) servings.
2 1/2 c. whole milk
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. plus 2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ancho chile powder or cayenne pepper, optional

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it is hot to the touch. Whisk in the chocolate and sugar. Continue whisking for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne, if using, and whisk for 1 minute.

Serve in small mugs or, for a lighter, airy consistency, remove the hot chocolate from the heat and blend with an immersion mixer on low speed just before serving. It can also be made ahead and refrigerated and then reheated with the frother of an espresso machine.

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune