By Felisa Billet
What can be better than a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day? A mug of hot chocolate. And make that the haute kind.
Not to be confused with cocoa powder mixed with milk, real hot chocolate is made by melting solid bars of chocolate, preferably a dark variety containing a high percentage of cacao, with cream and milk.
Over the last 10 years, American’s changing perception of hot chocolate has been driven largely by the rise in popularity of premium eating and baking chocolate with high cacao content.
As the market for top-quality dark chocolate has expanded, so had the taste for hot chocolate.
“Americans are traveling more and being exposed to how other cultures drink hot chocolate,” says Fred Thompson, author of “Hot Chocolate: Fifty Cups of Heavenly Comfort” (Harvard Common Press, 2006). “They are favoring a less sweet hot chocolate, one with a more intense flavor and thicker texture.”
European hot chocolate, for example, is a thick beverage of unadorned melted chocolate. Warm milk, whipped cream or mascarpone cheese is served on the side for those who prefer a creamier finish.
South American hot chocolate, made with melted chocolate and water, is thinner and combined with spicy flavors such as cinnamon and chiles.
Throughout the globe, chocolate is unique in that it pairs so well with an infinite number of flavors. From Chinese five-spice to Key limes, the sky is the limit in terms of hot chocolate companions. The drink undergoes an even more indulgent adults’-only transformation when paired with brandies and liqueurs.
“Like most Americans, I grew up drinking cocoa, which is a completely different beverage than hot chocolate,” says Michael Turback, whose book “Hot Chocolate” (Ten Speed, 2005), showcases new-age combinations including lavender-pistachio, sake-wasabi, and ginger-caramel. “Hot chocolate is not just something to drink after ice skating or in the football stands in the middle of December. It’s a great everyday drink.”
Turback predicts that as Americans are discovering real hot chocolate for the first time, more couture varieties with exotic flavor profiles will appear on restaurant menus.
If you can’t find a kosher restaurant offering haute chocolate drinks, it’s simple to create your own. Melt white, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate (look for high percentages of cacao). Add hot water, milk or cream as you determine which additional liquid you like best. Then, add flavorings like extracts, liquors, citrus zest, marshmallows, chopped candy, or spices.
When entertaining on a cold Saturday night or on Chanukah, give your guests a unique experience and set up a dessert buffet in the form of a make-your-own-hot-chocolate bar.
Tish Boyle, cookbook author and editor of Chocolatier Magazine, suggests setting up pitchers of hot chocolate made with different brands of chocolate and varying percentages of cacao, alongside bowls of traditional, like mini marshmallows, and unexpected (think peanut butter) toppings.
“People feel like they are really part of the hot chocolate experience when they create their own,” says Boyle.
This recipe, from Michael Turback’s “Hot Chocolate” (Ten Speed Press, 2005), hails from the Windy City. Chef Mindy Segal of Hotchocolate in Chicago, combines homemade hot fudge and rich hot chocolate in a voluptuous two-toned drink that is just as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Black Bottom Hot Chocolate
For the Fudge:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 5 ounces chocolate, chopped
- 1 to 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
For the Hot Chocolate:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 ounces bitter sweet chocolate (62 percent cacao), chopped
- 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
To make the fudge, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add corn syrup and chocolate and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower to a simmer (it is important to stir frequently to avoid scalding).. When the mixture begins to separate, add the vanilla and butter and stir to thoroughly combine. Add salt to taste; it should be slightly salty. Divide the fudge amongst four demitasse cup and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
To make hot chocolate, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, cream, and brown sugar to a boil. Add the chocolates, turn off the heat, and let chocolate steep in the liquid for about 1 minute. Use an immersion blender or whisk to combine.
To serve, pour the hot chocolate into the fudge layered cups. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and serve immediately with a spoon. Makes 4 demitasse servings
