Last night was the first evening I felt the chill of a cold wind, and I suddenly felt the need for a comforting hot drink. I love how hot beverages become such an important ritual to cold winter days and evenings—hot tea with scones, coffee with friends, hot chocolate by the fireplace with a good book. There’s something so soothing about drinking warm chocolate when you’re wrapped up in a blanket on a chilly night.
We know that kids love hot chocolate and drink lots of it. One thing is certain though, hot chocolate is not just for children anymore. Chocolate is a global favorite, transcending all cultures, and nothing rejuvenates the cook in me more than trying new recipes and creating innovative flavor combinations for intensely flavored chocolate drinks like my Rum-Ginger Marshmallows!
Last year, I hosted a Hot Chocolate Tasting Party. Each of my foodie friends brought their favorite varieties of chocolate-- dark, milk, white as well as flavored bars. I set up a hot chocolate condiment bar with lots of homemade goodies: several cocoa mixes, artisan marshmallows, gourmet chocolate truffles, whipped cream, specialty candy sticks, and freshly baked cookies. It was so much fun and an easy way to host a holiday party! If you’d like to hold a Hot Chocolate Party, go to www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Hot-Chocolate-Party for ideas.
- Tips for enjoying the perfect cup of hot chocolate:
- Use high-quality ingredients, and experiment with different flavors and chocolate brands.
- Make your own cocoa mix.
- Drink hot chocolate from a gorgeous glass mug.
- Use festive and tasty stirrers such as peppermint, butterscotch, rum, raspberry and other beautiful candy sticks that are available at specialty food stores and candy shops.
- Savor the indulgence as a delicious drinkable dessert!
- Sip hot chocolate slowly. It will make a chilly evening feel warmer and a gray day shine more brightly!
Basic Hot Chocolate
- 4 ounces high-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Heat the milk and half-and-half In a heavy saucepan over medium heat and bring just to the boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate.
- After the chocolates melt, add the sugar, and vanilla.
- Reheat gently and serve immediately topped with one or two Rum-Ginger Marshmallows!
Yield: 2 to 4 servings.
Rum-Ginger Marshmallows
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1cup cold water
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon rum extract
- 3 teaspoons finely minced crystallized ginger
Marshmallow Coating
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- Prepare a 9x13-inch glass baking dish by sifting the bottom generously with some of the Marshmallow Coating. Sprinkle ½ cup of the cold water over gelatin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Allow to stand while making the syrup.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining ½ cup of water in a heavy saucepan. Place over low heat and stir to moisten all the sugar. Turn up heat to medium high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Carefully and immediately remove from the heat.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully pour syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase speed to high; beat until the mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes. Add the rum extract and minced ginger and beat to incorporate.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the top and dust with more powdered sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until mixture dries out.
- Turn the marshmallow slab onto a board and cut in squares using a pizza cutter. Dredge the squares in the coating on all sides. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature. Marshmallows will stay fresh about 1 week.
Yield: 117 marshmallows if cut in 1-inch squares
