The Perfectly Cozy Hot Chocolate

My goal during the winter months is to find the absolute best hot chocolate in whichever city I am in during the winter months. I had a fantastic one in or around Huddersfield, England with my friend Butty, and I still think about it when the temperature starts to drop outside. I think the sad truth, though, is that the US is just not the place to get a done up hot chocolate, so I've started making them myself.

The process is easy. Heat a saucepan over low medium heat and add whatever chocolate you'd like. Have some fun with it: use a chocolate orange, half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate, salted chocolate--whatever flavor you'd like your hot chocolate to take, use a bar of chocolate that has it!

As the chocolate starts to melt, add your milk or milk alternative (I use almond milk). You can eyeball this, or if you're making a single serving, I find it easiest to pour my milk to the desired level in the mug I plan on using, and then pour it from there into my saucepan. Stir or whisk constantly.

It's important not to allow the milk to boil because curdled milk is heartbreaking.

Once all of your chocolate is melted and your mixture is to your desired temperature, you're ready to deck it out! Whipped cream is non-negotiable, if you ask me, but alas, this is your hot chocolate, so do what you please. For this one, I topped it off with whipped cream, crumbled a Crunchie on top for some honeycomb goodness, and placed a flake inside for some extra slow-melting goodness.

That's it! It only takes maybe 10 minutes tops and then you're all ready to sit down and watch your favorite Holiday movie.

Let me know what goodness you use to spice up your hot chocolate game this winter.

xxx