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I like my hot chocolate with a kick. Of course, classic hot chocolate is always a pleasure but I get all excited when I think about adding cinnamon, spice, or...cranberry? I'll have to test that one out. But for now, I've got a new combo that I'm swooning over (seriously): Lavender Hot Chocolate.
What I wanted was to taste the lavender but not like 'I seem to be eating a field from Provence' kind of taste it. And I finally hit the perfect ratio for me. This recipe is also great to give as a gift because it whips up super fast, has very few ingredients, needs only milk added, and tastes so luxurious. So, please, try it out, and enjoy!
Here's what you need:
(makes 4 servings)
- 1/2 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup raw sugar
- 3/4 tsp. pretty lavender buds, powdered
(I did this in a mortar and pestle but a very clean coffee grinder would work too)
Mix these ingredients together and package up if this is going to be a gift. If it's for 'now! right now!', pour into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Measure out:
- 4 cups milk
Pour a small amount of the milk into the saucepan and whisk with conviction to form a paste. Doing this will eliminate those powdery magma lumps later on. Whisk in the rest of the milk then heat over low heat stirring occasionally until toasty warm. Word to the wise: don't walk away from your pan because milk goes from tepid to scrubbing the entire stove clean in about .002 seconds.
And guess what! I made you some free gift tags to print out and tie onto your hot chocolate gifts! You'll want to print the first page, then run it back through your printer to print the second page on the back (the cooking instruction). Download it here. And here's what they look like:
Oh, pretty!
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In other news, I cleared a table and basket to bring home our christmas tree! Bad news is: looks like we might have a property rights battle on our hands.
xo,
a.
