Classic Hot Chocolate
Source of Recipe
Cook's Magazine
List of Ingredients
6 tablespoons Dutch cocoa, measured by dip and sweep
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup water
3 cups low-fat milk (1 or 2 percent)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup half-and-half
Recipe
Serves four in small mugs
If you want to increase or decrease this recipe, the key ratio to
remember is 1-1/2 tablespoons of cocoa and 1 heaping
tablespoon of sugar per 1 cup of liquid. If you have whole milk on
hand rather than low fat, go ahead and use it, omitting
the half-and-half.
1. In heavy 2-quart saucepan, whisk together cocoa, sugar, salt, and
water over low heat until smooth. Simmer, whisking
continuously, for 2 minutes, making sure whisk gets into the edges
of pan.
2. Add milk, increase heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring
occasionally with whisk, until steam rises from surface and
tiny bubbles form around edge, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not boil.
3. Add vanilla and half-and-half. For foamy cocoa, beat hot cocoa
with hand mixer or transfer to blender and blend until
foamy. Pour into four mugs, top with whipped cream or marshmallows
if desired, and serve immediately.
Hot Cocoa with Orange
Remove zest from 1 orange in strips about 1 inch wide. Follow recipe
for Classic Hot Cocoa, adding zest along with
milk. Remove zest strips with slotted spoon before beating or
serving.
Interesting Notes:
Dutch Chocolate is treated with an alkaline solution to reduce the cocoa's natural
acidity, giving it both a stronger chocolate flavor
and a deeper color than its untreated counterpart. Some of the
chocoholics among us preferred superstrong cocoa, with
a whopping 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder per 1 cup of milk, but the
voices of reason and moderation prevailed, and
we settled on 1-1/2 tablespoons of cocoa, sweetened with 1
tablespoon of sugar per 1 cup of liquid. Everyone agreed
that cocoa made thus was chocolaty and indulgent, without going over
the deep end.
In many recipes, the cocoa powder and sugar are mixed with a little
water and cooked briefly before the milk or cream is
added. Our tests confirmed that this extra step really pays off in
terms of flavor. Cooking the cocoa in water releases its
full range of flavor nuances, including fruit and coffee as well as
a welcome roasty undertone.
Next in the line of fire was the dairy component. Since we were
trying to steer clear of an overly rich mixture, we
eliminated half-and-half and heavy cream right off the bat. Many
households stock low-fat milk these days, and we found
that 1 percent or 2 percent milk or whole milk make good cocoa. If
you choose low-fat milk but desire a fuller-textured
cocoa, a splash of half-and-half adds richness. Last, we added small
amounts of salt and vanilla, which served to both
heighten and balance the flavor of the cocoa.
Quick Tip: One-Step Cocoa Measuring
Many brands of cocoa, such as Hershey's, come in plastic containers
covered with a protective foil or paper seal. And
that very protective seal is the perfect tool for perfect
dip-and-sweep measuring, which means dipping the measuring
spoon into the ingredient and then leveling it off for an accurate
measurement. Rather than pulling the seal off entirely,
make a straight cut across the center and remove only half of it.
The straight edge of the remaining portion is ideal for
leveling off the contents of the measuring spoon as you lift it out
of the container, and the excess falls right back into the
cocoa box.
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