BRM Holiday Hot Chocolate

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Dec 24th 2006, 10:07am By Christa Glennie Seychew

Think Financial Student Loans

hot%20cocoa.jpg Hot chocolate is an ideal way to enjoy the holidays. It is a perfect accompaniment to both a Christmas cookie and a snowball fight. Though Swiss Miss has her place and Hershey never did anyone wrong, 'tis the season for creating homemade, from-scratch treats.

Though generally considered interchangeable, hot cocoa and hot chocolate are actually two different things. Hot cocoa is made from Dutch processed cocoa powder, whereas hot chocolate is made from, well- chocolate.

In our December issue, BRM developed a simple recipe designed to showcase the magic of the best chocolate you can find. We used two high-quality organic brands purchased at the Lexington Co-op. The great thing about this recipe is that it allows you to use any kind of chocolate that you like. Bittersweet, semisweet, milk or any combination of these- each will produce its own unique elixir. The amount of sugar in the hot chocolate portion of the recipe can be increased or decreased, depending on your personal taste. If you choose to use a "sweet" chocolate, omit the sugar all together. This recipes makes a very chocolate-y hot chocolate. It can be thinned by adding an additional cup of milk or cream.

BRM Hot Chocolate


2 oz organic milk chocolate, chopped
3.5 oz organic 70% dark chocolate, chopped
3 cups organic whole milk
2 tbsp sugar
dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Bring to temperature over low heat, whisking very often and using a rubber scraper to ensure that the chocolate is not building up anywhere on the bottom of the pan. Once the chocolate has completely melted and liquid has come to a simmer, ladle into mugs and top with cream.

Vanilla Cream


1 cup well chilled organic heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine and beat until cream holds stiff peaks.


Any of the following make wonderful additions to BRM's Hot Chocolate: peppermint schnapps, amaretto or hazelnut liqueur, espresso, cinnamon, chili powder, crushed candy canes, raspberry (or other flavor) Italian syrup.

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feed your soul buffalo

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  1. Vermont Sugar

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 26th 2006, 23:26

    try mixing a teaspoon of maple syrup in the cup...total yum!

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  2. spicier the better

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 28th 2006, 10:05

    ginger, cayenne, chipotle...

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  3. bernie

    0 ratings12345
    Feb 8th 2007, 13:37

    thats sound good i am going to try it sounds good in this weather

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