Homemade Hot Chocolate (ingredients, sugar, pepper, powder)

[RHB]

Does anyone else make homemade hot chocolate? I made my first pot of the season last night. I use the directions off the back of the cocoa can.

[LaceyEx]

It's something we always had as kids and I tended to get the "instant" when my kids were young. But homemade is so good.

[nomoresnow]

Absolutely. Ain't nothin' like it! I use Land o' Lakes FF half and half instead of milk. mmmmmm rich and lower in fat and calories than regular.

[Rickers]

Here is a tip for super good homemade hot chocolate. Don't use instant, use the straight cocoa and follow directions, get out all the lumps and don't burn the milk, add a few drops of almond extract and a few drops of vanilla extract (real not imitation). Top with real whipped cream. Now that's hot chocolate fit for a family Xmas morning, (the dash of peppermint schnapps is optional) !

[nomoresnow]

Oh, rickers, that sounds real good.

[RHB]

Peppermint schmapps....now why didn't I think of that...

[LaceyEx]

OMG how good....

[Beretta]

My recipe is:

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Combine first 4 ingredients in a pan, stir often and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 2 minutes. Add milk and half and half and heat through without boiling. After heated through stir in vanilla.

[gentlearts]

Yup, that's how I make it too. If you mix in some Baileys Irish Cream it's very yummy.

[NicoleJ]

Ree has a new recipe up on her site that I want to try. She says it can be used for either chocolate milk or hot chocolate. I'm going to get the ingredients this weekend.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Ree Drummond (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/decadent-chocolate-milk/ - broken link)