The Very Best Hot Chocolate Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add chocolate chips, half-and-half, and cinnamon. Melt chocolate chips stirring frequently with wooden spoon; about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let boil.
• Remove from heat and pour into mug. Add a shot of vanilla vodka or hazelnut liqueur, if you like.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat 2 1/2 cups milk and 3/4 cup of the whipping cream over medium heat, stirring often until steaming.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt.
• Whisk in remaining cold milk and vanilla to make a smooth paste.
• Reduce heat to medium low and gradually whisk cocoa mixture into hot milk mixture until blended. Heat for about two minutes or until steaming hot.
• In a small chilled bowl, using electric mixrer or whisk, whip remaining whipping cream until thick.
• Ladle hot chocolate into four warmed mugs and evenly dollop whipped cream evenly into each mug. Stir toswirl lightly.
• Serve immediately.
• Note: if desired add 1 teaspoon coffee or chocolate flavoured liquer and 1/2 cup strong coffee to each mug of hot chocolate before adding the whipped cream. This is purely optional.

Steps:

• Place milk and half-and-half in a saucepan and heat to a simmer over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, stir together the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon. A few teaspoons at a time, stir the hot milk into the cocoa mixture to make a smooth paste. Scrape the cocoa mixture into the saucepan with the milk and simmer 2 minutes; do not let it boil. Stir in the vanilla and keep warm in a thermos.
• Pour into small serving cups and place 4 mini-marshmallows on each serving or spritz them with whipped cream. Serve immediately.
• Make the marshmallows: Combine the water, the corn syrup, and the sugar in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil and boil to "soft-ball" stage, or about 235 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the gelatin over the 2 tablespoons water and let sponge.
• When the syrup reaches 235 degrees F, remove it from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix. Pour the syrup into the whipped egg whites. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
• Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper then sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Pour the marshmallow onto the pan and spread it out. Let cool about 2 hours then with a pair of scissors dipped in cornstarch, cut out football shapes.

Steps:

• Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.