Who can resist a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day? I certainly can’t! It is one of my favorite winter treats. In these days of instant gratification it is hard to come by a cup of hot chocolate that isn’t made from a powder, so when I found this recipe in an old cookbook I decided to give it a try. It takes a little longer to make, but it is well worth the effort. The flavor is rich and frothy. Just the way hot chocolate should be.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, 2 squares
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • cinnamon to taste

Instructions

  1. Grate the squares of chocolate and combine with the sugar and salt. In a medium sized sauce pan bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Add the chocolate, sugar and salt to the boiling water and boil for about 3 minutes or until the chocolate is melted, stirring constantly.
  2. Reduce the heat and add the milk and more sugar, if needed to sweeten to taste. Heat through.
  3. Remove from the stove and stir in the vanilla. Whip with a hand beater until frothy.
  4. Add a dash of cinnamon to the bottom of the cup before pouring in the hot chocolate.