Hot Cocoberry Chocolate Food

SLOW-COOKER HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Add the milk, cream, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a 6-quart slow cooker. Whisk until combined and the cocoa is dissolved. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
• Cover and cook on low, whisking every 30 minutes, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is hot, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Ladle into mugs and top as desired with either some marshmallows or whipped cream sprinkled with crushed candy canes, or drizzled with caramel sauce.

CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Fill a small pot with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. Whisk in cocoa; it may clump, which is O.K.
• Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, whisking around the sides of the pan to help dissolve all the cocoa.
• When milk simmers, whisk in the chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar and a tiny pinch of salt, and reduce heat to low. Whisk until chocolate is melted and very smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla.
• Serve topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.

CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve and the milk is steaming; do not boil.
• Whisk in half of the chopped chocolate until melted, then whisk in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallows or whipped cream.

CREAMY HOT COCOA

Steps:

• 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.

THE VERY BEST HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat 2 1/2 cups milk and 3/4 cup of the whipping cream over medium heat, stirring often until steaming.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt.
• Whisk in remaining cold milk and vanilla to make a smooth paste.
• Reduce heat to medium low and gradually whisk cocoa mixture into hot milk mixture until blended. Heat for about two minutes or until steaming hot.
• In a small chilled bowl, using electric mixrer or whisk, whip remaining whipping cream until thick.
• Ladle hot chocolate into four warmed mugs and evenly dollop whipped cream evenly into each mug. Stir toswirl lightly.
• Serve immediately.
• Note: if desired add 1 teaspoon coffee or chocolate flavoured liquer and 1/2 cup strong coffee to each mug of hot chocolate before adding the whipped cream. This is purely optional.

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Heat the milk, cocoa, sugar and chocolate in a small pan over a medium heat until steaming and the chocolate has melted. Whisk to dissolve the cocoa.
• Pour into a mug, then add the cream to float on top. Grate over a little more chocolate to serve.

HOT COCOBERRY CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Add the rum and Chambord to a mug.
• Fill with hot cocoa.
• Stir and enjoy.