Muddy’s Hot Cocoa – A Good Thing!
Quite a few years ago, a tradition started in our house. First, it started when my boys trooped in on a chill afternoon with the neighborhood kids following behind. They’d line up on stools on the other side of the island, for steaming cups of hot cocoa.
Then, one day, I found some hot chocolate cups at my favorite pottery store, two doors down from where I grew up. There are six cups now, one for my older son’s wife.
Instant hot cocoa is always good for a group of boys, but then I decided to search for something better. My aunt used to make the real Hershey’s hot cocoa (recipe on back of the container) – and it is delicious, but just not full-bodied enough. I found another recipe that used evaporated milk and a bag of chocolate chips, but that was just too over-the top. My favorite coffee shop serves an Italian Hot Chocolate that is like eating chocolate pudding. Totally decadent, but too much for an every-snow-day treat.
I finally just came up with my own – and it is definitely yum! How do I know? Well, my husband says so! LOL – and, the boys say so!
Recipe:
6 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
You know how Paul Dean is about butter? Well, I am that way about heavy whipping cream! The HWC is what provides the thick, creamy texture.
3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1 cup sugar
Most recipes have more sugar than cocoa, but I like a semi-sweet taste to my cocoa. I like to think it gives it more of that Jane Austen, 18th century flavor. If I were dis-ingenuous, I would say that less sugar excused my HWC!
During my quest for a hot chocolate recipe, I googled 18th century and the movie Chocolat! I would say the movie Chocolat left an indelible change to our grandparent’s hot chocolate recipes. It gave us license to use cayenne pepper! My guy was totally appalled when he saw me peppering the cocoa. He thought I had crossed the line and destroyed the entire pot of hot cocoa. Then he tasted his cup. He is now a cayenne believer!
Add 3 to 4 shakes from your cayenne pepper shaker – 3 for company because you are never sure how much of a punch they can take. 4 for family – because I know they can take it!
You are so going to want to disrespect me here, but I garnish with a can of processed whipping cream! One reason is the easy-factor. Remember, this is for impromptu social events for friends and kids. The second reason is because my boys adore a can of whipping cream, on their ice cream, on their hot cocoa, and, sneaking it to just squirt in their mouth.
Oh, and that coffee cake? That’s my grandmother’s coffee cake recipe. You can find it here.
Happy Snow Day, from my house to yours!
For Summertime Hot Cocoa – freeze instant cocoa in ice trays – and add to cooled Hot Cocoa!
Wow, does that sound delicious!
I will have to try this. My family will love it!
Oh I could so gain another 10lbs following this recipe. I could walk more to offset the indulgence….maybe. 😉 Thanks for sharing!!
Oh – now THIS is something I am going to HAVE to try! Thanks for sharing!
That looks delicious!! I’m floored with the addition of Cayenne…how strange…however, you have me wanting to at least try it!! What a special tradition!
That sounds so yummy!! I am so going to try that next time I make some!
I was just glad to see you make it with milk!
I absolutely love that photo of your kitchen window! I can’t explain why… something about the combination of the bare snowy trees outside with the decorations inside and the type of window it is (you don’t get windows like that here) – simply beautiful.
Also cayenne in hot chocolate – yum! I’ve never tried it at home but the café we sometimes go to does it with chili and pink pepper ground on top of the whipped cream. I’m not sure what difference the pink pepper makes, but it certainly is a warming drink! 🙂
Sounds like a delicious recipe for hot chocolate! Honestly I can not stand the “empty the packet of instant chocolate powder into a mug and add hot water” kind of hot chocolate. But I love the “canned squirt in your mouth whipped cream” and so does my whole clan. I think I just might try this on our next snow day. I love your snowman hot cocoa set. It is adorable!
I have never made homemade hot cocoa. This will be a treat for my family. The cayenne pepper is a wild addition.
I love your cocoa cup set…hot special!
It’s 30 and 40s here all week…I’ve been making soups and chilis, so I definitely need to whip some of this up!
Oh that sounds so good! I am heading to the snow this weekend and this would be perfect!
Hugs!
So glad I found you from the Friday Hops. Plus, I love that you shared the hot chocolate and coffee cake recipes. 🙂 I’ll be spending some time at your site. We have a pre-teen son and are working through some things with a lot of love and patience. Then, I found your writing page and … well, I’ll be checking your blog out … so thank you for having it. If you get a chance, please stop by and say hi! ~Jamie
http://www.SaysJamie.com
Yes, hot chocolate is important, but I MUST tell you how much I love that wreath hanging from the window in the first pic!
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Yum yum. Alpha Hubby loves cayenne in his hot chocolate. This sounds delish!
I understand while chocolate cups from 100 years ago were so small – a little of this recipe goes a long way! Hope you enjoyed!
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