Parisian Hot Chocolate

Yay Weekend!
I am up North this weekend (Collingwood, ON) and should be skiing right now. Instead we woke up to a crazy blizzard and the lifts not running because of high winds. So what did I do- made hot chocolate... obvi! This is not any hot chocolate though, this is my perfected recipe for Parisian Hot Chocolate. Last fall my family and I went to visit my sister (who was on exchange in Bordeaux) in Paris. It was an amazing trip, I feel like we ate and walked laps around that city- I could go back today given the opportunity. One day it was drizzly and cold and we jumped into a cafe for a quick lunch to warm up. I ordered quiche and hot chocolate... which changed my life. I am not joking, this hot chocolate was insane. A tea pot with steaming hot milk, an espresso cup with a thick chocolaty mixture and giant bowl of fresh whipped cream were placed in front of me. I actually thought I had died and gone to heaven. I had no idea where to put my quiche on the table- but was sooo not concerned with that issue at that moment. I had way more important issues at hand- how was I supposed to do this!? I took a bit of milk and poured it into my mug, added a couple tsps of the chocolaty amazingness and mixed, then added more milk and so on, tasting as I went to personalise my hot chocolate. What I ended up with was probably the equivalent of a chocolate bar in a cup of milk- but it was SO good. As soon as we got home I recreated this hot chocolate.

This is a quick recipe, and no, it is not quite as fast as mixing a chocolate-esque powder into microwaved milk- but it is SO worth it. This is a one person recipe, so just multiply the ingredients depending on how many people you are making hot chocolate for. Start off with a small sauce pan on medium heat, add 1 oz. of good quality dark chocolate (72% +), 1/4 cup of whipping cream, 1 tsp of brown sugar and 2 pinches of cinnamon. Wisk until melted and combined- pour into a small dish or espresso cup (I used a creepy turkey mini jug). In the same sauce pan add 1 cup of milk (I use skim, but for a more rich, authentic taste go for 1 or even 2%) and heat until steamy. Pour the milk into your mug, serve with the chocolate mixture and a small mixing spoon. Mix in as much chocolate as you like and top with some whipped cream if you're really feeling decadent! I steamed my milk and topped it with foam- both ways work!

Have a great Saturday.

Parisian Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of whipping cream
• 1 oz. dark chocolate (72% +)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 pinches of cinnamon
• 1 cup milk

Method:

1. In a sauce pan on medium heat add the cream, chocolate, brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk until melted and combined. Pour into a small bowl or espresso cup.
2. In the same sauce pan, add the milk and warm until steaming- do not scald. Pour into mug.
3. Serve steaming milk with chocolate mixture and small mixing spoon.
4. Top with whipped cream and cocoa.

Note: You can use an espresso maker to steam the milk and top with the foam. Both options are great!