Simply amazing Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Behold, my favorite winter drink. Let me make a few things clear: this is not cocoa. This does not resemble anything that comes out of a pouch and requires only hot water. This is intense hot chocolate, meant to be served in small cups and sipped slowly. Are you up for it? Here are step-by-step photos, followed by the full recipe at the bottom:
You'll need sugar (brown or white...after flip-flopping back and forth, I think I prefer white), unsweetend cocoa powder meant for baking, unsalted butter, kosher salt, and milk (I use 2%. If you use milk with less fat, you won't get the velvet texture this drink requires.)
Make heated chocolate milk. Heat the milk, add the chocolate...
...and whisk until no chocolate lumps remain.
Heat the sugar. We're going to melt it until it creates an amber-colored syrup...
...like this.
Everything's better with butter! Add a little, and don't be afraid when the syrup froths up a bit.
Caramel can be tricky to work with. Much like a Mean Girl*, it will burn on you if you turn your back on it for long. The key is to keep stirring. After the butter is melted, add the salt.
*Don't you just love that movie? I was watching it just the other day. So quotable!
Finally, add the heated chocolate milk. Stir until you have a velvety smooth mixture, and serve!
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
2 servings
1.5 cups 2% milk
4 TBS unsweeted baking cocoa powder
1/2 cup white sugar (or brown, if you want a more molasses taste)
2 TBS unsalted butter
1/4 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp if you'd like a saltier punch)
Heat milk about 90 seconds in microwave on high. Add cocoa powder and whisk until well combined.
Heat sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly, until the sugar melts into an amber syrup, and add butter (it will froth up a bit). Continue stirring until butter is melted, and add salt. Stir again until salt is well combined. Turn heat down to medium-low and gradually add heated chocolate milk and stir until smooth. Serve with shortbread cookies, wrap yourself in a blanket, and watch a sweet and salty movie (like Mean Girls).
9 Comments | in drinks, recipes 
Reader Comments (9)
God Bless you for posting this! :) Can't wait to try it!
Thanks for posting Jen! I'm going to make it tonight!
Very Julius Meinl sort of recipe. So trying this tonight.
Mmmmmmm... Can't wait to try it!
You had me at 'salted carmel and hot chocolate!" I luv how you present everything in your blog, Jen!
Can I spend a week with you so you can teach me a fraction of what you know in domestication?
Hey, I can actually make this! Thanks for posting and also for helping me figure out what to do tomorrow night. My man is actually the one who introduced me to Mean Girls, and I think it's time for another viewing!
Cheers!
Jen,
This is so going to come in handy when we're all snowed in on Wednesday. You actually made me excited about the snow! Love the idea of combining salted caramel with chocolate. I wonder if this would taste even richer if you melted bittersweet chocolate?
Vanessa
My diet hates you. Hope you don't mind if i link to this in my blog? (It will be posted friday)
I was about to say "my diet hates me too" but then I realized that was betraying my basic tenant of hedonism. Post away!