Piping Hot Mug of Hot Chocolate

Our Aunt Dorothy was up this weekend for a wedding and this morning after Mass she took us out for breakfast. It was a brisk fallish type morning and four of our kids order hot chocolate. We were at the Friendship Restaurant in town and not only did they make their Hot Cocoa with whipped cream on top, but they also gave them a side order of whipped cream. It really put me in the mood for some cocoa so I looked up the perfect hot cocoa recipe, and here is what I came up with from ehow.com :

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:



* 1/4 cup cocoa

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 1/3 cup water

* Pinch of salt

* 4 cups of 2 percent milk

* 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

* Mug

* Saucepan

* Spoon

* Beater

* Whipped cream or Marshmallows



Step1

Combine water, cocoa, sugar, salt in a medium size pot over medium heat. Keep stirring making sure everything is dissolved until boiling. Keep boiling for a minute or two.

Step2

2 percent milk makes a creamy cup of hot cocoa, use skim milk for a lower fat content. Reduce heat to medium low and add the four cups of 2 percent milk, constantly stirring. Do not bring to a boil.

Step3

Add vanilla extract and keep stirring.

Step4

Stir mixture for about 2 minutes with the hand beater until everything is mixed together, or until desired serving temperature is met. Be sure not to boil.

Step5

Remove from heat.

Step6

Hand egg beater. For a foamy hot cocoa take hand egg beater and stir vigorously for a minute. Can us a mechanical beater as well.

Step7

Add Marshmallows or Whipped cream



It sounded like a lot of work for me so I just ripped open a Carnation Cocoa packet and dumped it in hot water.
An important part of a great cup of coffee, cocoa, or even soup is what you put it in. I swear by the Mara coffee mug that we sell. They are amazing. I have big hands and I love the way I can fit all four fingers into the cup handle. They are so heavy and tough I have dropped them on the floor and they haven't even cracked. They are microwave and dishwasher safe and they are beautiful. In short, they are a class act for coffee/cocoa mugs. If you haven't bought some, try them today. Kate and I probably have twenty in our house and it never seems to be enough.