Rich deep chocolate whisked into hot milk and cream. That used to be the formula for making hot chocolate before cocoa powders and syrups were invented. Now, hot chocolate is getting back to its luscious origins.
“This is wonderful, soothing and the best way to taste the flavor of chocolate – when it's warm,” says Joan Steuer, president of Chocolate Marketing, a marketing and trends consulting firm in Los Angeles.
Hot chocolate cafes, similar to coffee houses, where you can sip a small cup of frothy chocolate, are popping up in larger cities. The chain of Ethel's Chocolate Lounges, opening around the country, promotes chocolate and conversation.
Chocolate manufacturers, such as Fran's Chocolates, Ltd. in Seattle, are selling packages of shaved dark chocolate that quickly melt into hot milk.
And you're likely to see artisan chocolates flavored with chiles and/or cinnamon to use in the beverage. “It gives new meaning to hot chocolate,” says Steuer.
There's no need to wait for a fancy hot-chocolatier to open a café near you. To make hot chocolate at home buy a bar of smooth, refined dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocao bean and cocoa butter. When you look at the label, choose a product with 65 to 70 percent cocoa. Break up the chocolate into small pieces, or crush it between two sheets of wax paper using a rolling pin.
Heat about five ounces of milk, or a combination of four parts milk and one part cream, in a saucepan. Stir three to four tablespoons crushed chocolate into the milk and whisk.
“Sip it slowly and inhale when you bring the hot chocolate to your mouth,” Steuer says.
