Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Hot Chocolate on a Stick
Yield: 10 cubes of hot chocolate (ice-cube-tray size)
(use 1 oz. hot chocolate on a stick per every 1 cup milk or cream)

Equipment:
Ziplock bags or piping bags
A double boiler or pan with a glass bowl that can sit over the simmering water
Some kind of chocolate mold, ice trays work great
Stir sticks or a bag of wooden craft sticks like I used (like these, available at any craft store)

Ingredients:
8 oz. chocolate (see note above), bittersweet, semisweet, milk, and white chocolate all work
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

I also have a few other special ingredients I like to add. If you take me out to lunch sometime maybe I’ll share.

6 cups milk and 2 cups heavy cream if you plan to enjoy these right away

Method
(read a whole post about melting chocolate, including how to melt in the microwave, here)


1.If your chocolate is in a block, chop it into even-sized meltable pieces. Simmer a couple inches of water in a pan, then turn down the heat so the water is below a simmer. I like to remove the pan from the heat, but if you keep it on, keep that water below a simmer. Place glass or stainless steel bowl over the top to make a double boiler. If the bowl touches the water it’s alright, as long as your water is mildly warm, not hot. Dump chocolate into the clean, dry bowl and stir as the chocolate melts. (If you are patient and let those chunks melt slowly, keeping them from getting over 90 degrees F or 88 degrees F for milk and white chocolate, the chocolate will stay “in temper” and will still be nice and pretty when it cools.)

2.Once the chocolate is 2/3 melted, with just some pieces of the chocolate unmelted, remove the bowl from the pan, dry the bottom with a towel and continue stirring until chocolate is fully melted. This is just one more step to keep the chocolate from getting too hot.

3.Add cocoa, sugar, and salt and continue to stir until combined. The chocolate will be thicker, as thick as frosting, but stir on. If it looks and feels grainy it’s possible you’ve accidentally gotten a drop of water in the mixture. If it has gotten water in it and has seized up, it will still taste alright, it just won’t be as pretty or smooth or melt quite as fast.

4.Scoop chocolate into a ziplock bag and clip off the corner.

5.Pipe the chocolate into your chocolate mold, tapping the mold on the counter to make sure all the chocolate settles into the mold. Add a stir stick and you’re done. The stir stick should stay upright without any trouble. If the chocolate bursts through the bag in places you don’t want it to, just put the whole thing in another bag. If the chocolate starts to get too thick to squeeze, just put the whole thing in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or so at half power.

6.Let the chocolate cool either at room temperature or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry. I find the chocolate pops out of the mold nicely if it’s been in the fridge. It’s okay to cool chocolate in the fridge, just don’t store it there, because chocolate soaks up the odors of other foods pretty quickly.

7.If you don’t like the look of the chocolate once it is removed from the mold, you can dip the cubes into a new batch of plain melted chocolate for a shinier finish (again, try to keep chocolate from heating over 90 degrees, or use candy melts, which don’t need to be in temper, they will stay shiny and pretty even if you go above 90 degrees). This also lets you add sprinkles or crushed candy or just lets you dip in fun patterns. I like dipping at an angle into a different color of chocolate.

8.In order to enjoy these, heat up any combo of milk, water, half and half, or cream. I like 6 cups milk with 2 cups heavy cream. One ounce of chocolate on a stick should be melted into one cup milk or cream. So a standard ice cube-tray block, which is 3/4 an ounce, should be melted into a mug with 3/4 cup milk or cream in it.

Troubleshooting: A few of you have had trouble with your chocolate seizing. Tiffany provided this great note to help out (thanks, Tiffany!), “if the chocolate begins to seize (since for some reason, both of my batches seized, I’m thinking it’s the humidity in the air where I am) you do not have to throw it out. Just put the bowl back over the hot water and add a little bit of vegetable oil (I used somewhere between a tsp and a tbsp) after stirring over a little heat, the chocolate will get smooth again. Also good to note, chocolate can seize if you add any cold ingredients.”

How to store it: Dark chocolate will keep in an airtight container for up to a year, milk and white chocolate for several months. Remember, don’t keep it in the fridge because it is really good at absorbing odors.


Variations: Try adding a pinch of your favorite spice. We tried adding a little extra punch by lining the outside with red hots. Very fun. You can also leave out the cocoa and sugar all together and replace it with 8 servings of your favorite packaged hot cocoa. Have you ever had so much fun? I love playing with chocolate.

http://www.giverslog.com/?p=3290

100 Calorie: Thick and Rich Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup(s) nonfat milk
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup(s) sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) cornstarch


Directions

1.Combine milk, cocoa, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until steaming. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/thick-rich-hot-cocoa-recipe

5 Takes on Hot Cocoa!

A warm cup of hot cocoa on a chilly morning evokes fond childhood memories. Even now, I will sometimes forgo my morning cup of coffee or tea for a cup of hot cocoa. Whether you make it from scratch, or boil water and pour in an instant mix, hot cocoa is a delicious treat.

Plain old hot cocoa is delicious, but why not change it up a bit. Here are 5 easy ways to jazz up your hot cocoa:

South Of The Border Hot Cocoa
Place a cinnamon stick in your cup of hot cocoa, then sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon for a south of the border inspired treat.

Candy Cane Cocoa
Add a peppermint candy cane to your piping hot cup of cocoa. Stir with the candy cane, and as it melts, your cocoa will take on a sweet minty flavor.

Kiddie Cocoa
Top your cocoa with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles to make you feel like a kid again.

Luscious Vanilla Cocoa
Stir in a tablespoon of vanilla syrup to your hot cocoa and top with homemade marshmallows (find at Whole Foods or Trader Joes) for one indulgent treat.

Fiery Cocoa
Adults will enjoy this sophisticated brew more than children. Make a cup of strong cocoa with dark chocolate and add in a pinch of ground red chili pepper. Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and sprinkle with red chili pepper flakes for drink sure to keep you extra toasty.

Be sure to try these ideas at your next get together! Your guests will love your creative spin on hot cocoa.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/user-post-5-ways-to-jazz-up-your-cup-of-hot-cocoa-522002/

Sangria Punch

Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 5 min
Makes: 8 servings, 1 cup each

What You Need!
1 qt. (4 cups) cold reduced calorie cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup cold orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3/4 cup COUNTRY TIME Lemonade or Pink Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix
3 cups cold club soda
2 oranges, sliced
2 limes, sliced

Make It!
ADD cranberry juice cocktail, orange juice and lime juice to drink mix in large pitcher; stir until mix is dissolved.

REFRIGERATE until ready to serve.

STIR in club soda and fruit. Serve over ice cubes.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/sangria-punch-64881.aspx?cm_re=1-_-1-_-RecipeAlsoEnjoy

Berry Lemonade

Ingredients:
8 cup(s) cold water
2 cup(s) sugar
3 cup(s) (from 15 to 16 medium lemons) fresh lemon juice
3 strip(s) (3 inches by 1 inch each) lemon peel
1 cup(s) raspberries
1 cup(s) blackberries
Ice cubes
Seltzer or club soda

Directions

Prepare sugar syrup: In 4-quart saucepan, heat 4 cups water with sugar and lemon peel to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover saucepan and boil 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.

Meanwhile, in food processor, pulse berries until pureed. Pour into medium-mesh sieve set over large bowl and press berry mixture with back of spoon to remove seeds; discard seeds.

Remove peel from syrup; stir syrup into berry puree with lemon juice and remaining 4 cups water. Makes 13 cups. Pour into large pitcher with tight-fitting lid. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. Serve over ice. Add seltzer to taste; garnish with berries and lemon slices.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/berry-lemonade

Limeade

Ingredients:
3 limes
2/3 cup white sugar
2 quarts cold water


DIRECTIONS
Cut limes in half and squeeze lime juice into a 2 quart pitcher. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Fill pitcher with cold water, stir and chill in refrigerator.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Limeade/Detail.aspx

Cherry Limeade

Ingredients:
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate
1 (2 liter) bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and juice reserved
1 lime


DIRECTIONS
Pour both cans of concentrated limeade into a large pitcher. Mix in lemon-lime soda. Stir in reserved cherry juice. Squeeze juice from lime into mixture, then slice and set aside. Stir well and serve over ice. Garnish with cherries and lime slices.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cherry-Limeade-I/Detail.aspx

Pineapple Lemonade Spritzer

SYRUP:
3 cups pineapple juice
3 lemons, juiced
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup honey

6 slices lemon
1 (2 liter) bottle carbonated water



DIRECTIONS
To make the pineapple lemon syrup: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine pineapple juice, lemon juice, sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute. Allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight.
Fill 6 glasses with ice. Place a slice of lemon in each glass. Pour in 2 fluid ounces pineapple lemon syrup. Fill glasses to the top with carbonated water; stir.

FOOTNOTE
The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pineapple-Lemonade-Spritzers/Detail.aspx

Raspberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate
3 cups water
3/4 teaspoon lime juice
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup fresh raspberries, garnish
18 Mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a large punch bowl, combine raspberry lemonade concentrate, water and lime juice. Stir in lemon-lime soda and crushed ice. Garnish each glass with a fresh raspberry and a mint leaf.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Raspberry-Lemonade/Detail.aspx

Simple Lemonade

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
1 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Method
1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Serves 6.