Christmas Traditions & Hot Cocoa
Say Goodbye to Swiss Miss
Now that we should all be out of our Turkey-Day meat sweats, we are merely 17 days away from Christmas Day.
Christmas is without a doubt my favorite time of year.
I like to revisit Charles Dickens classic: A Christmas Carol. If you haven’t read the original text I highly recommend. My mom used to read snippets of this novel every night starting Dec 1st and finishing on Dec 24th which is when our families Christmas celebrations would begin.
If you are a book lover (as I am) Folio Society has a gorgeous binding of “A Christmas Carol”.
For film viewing of this classic:
The George C Scott version is my favorite even though it is an older film.
The 2009 Jim Carrey animated film also hits all the marks in my opinion; if you haven’t seen, I highly recommend.
“A Muppet Christmas Carol” is a rendition I religiously watch every year and Micheal Caine might be my favorite Ebenezer Scrooge.
Other traditions like mincemeat pies, Christmas puddings, cheesy Christmas movies, going out to see Christmas lights, holiday cookie swaps and making homemade foods to send out in gift baskets are a few of the things I love about the christmas season.
The holiday tradition of hot cocoa with marshmallows is normally made with powdered mixes you add boiling water to.
We can do much better and make a beverage that Santa would stop, sit down an dsip with pleasure.
Here’s my favorite Hot Cocoa recipe and I hope you try and share with your friends and family this Christmas season 🙏
Hot Cocoa Recipe
The biggest trick here is to bloom dutch processed cocoa powder in hot water. This deepens the chocolate flavor and activates the cocoa powder for a rich flavor that you cannot replicate.
Recipe
Makes (16) 1c servings
1.5 c sugar
1.25 c cocoa (dutch processed; you get what you pay for. Cacao Barry, Callebeaut, Valrhona all high quality options)
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 c hot water
1 gallon whole milk
1 TB vanilla extract
Garnishes: marshmallow, candy canes, whipped cream... all optional garnishes
METHOD
In a large saucepot whisk together your cocoa, sugar and salt.
Slowly stir in the hot (near boiling water).
Heat mixture over med high until boiling, and cook for 2 mins. This blooms the cocoa.
Add your milk and heat the cocoa up until just above your desired serving temp
Off heat, add the vanilla.
At this point you can keep warm in a slow cooker; adding some marshmallow if you want them to slow melt into the cocoa while people ladle their portions.
Garnish if desired. I like a dollop of barely sweetened whipped cream and a few marshmallows.
I hope you can whip this up a few times before New Years to indulge with family and friends.