5 Days of Hot Chocolate

A Dash of Spice

I tried my first spicy hot chocolate last year when we visited my father-in-law up in Michigan. He took us to a local chocolate shop that specialized in a spicy hot chocolate. The spice added such an amazing flavor to the chocolate! If you're a chocolate lover, this combination is definitely a must try.

This recipe is by Joy of Joylicious, one of my favorite food bloggers. She spiced up this hot chocolate with cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne. When it comes to the chocolate she encourages us to use a high quality cocoa, such as Valrhona cocoa, which is known for for it's rich flavor and low fat content. Read her post here about the history of hot cocoa and it's health benefits.



Spicy Hot Chocolate by Joy of Joylicious

Ingredients:

4 cups skim milk (she used organic)

1/4 cup Valrhona cocoa

4 77% Dark cocoa discs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/2 tsp. cayenne

cocoa nibs and whipped cream for garnish

Directions:

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan at medium-high heat. Heat until milk is scalded or almost boiling, about 2 minutes. Mix in the cocoa powder, spices, and chocolate discs and let sit for 1 minute. Using a whisk or hand blender, whisk mixture until frothy. Serve hot and top with whipped cream and sprinkle generously with cocoa nibs. Garnish with hot chilies if desired.

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"Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

 - Forrest Gump

Image via Joylicious