My Favorite Way to Make Hot Chocolate

A few months ago when the weather started getting cold, I started experimenting when I made hot chocolates for my husband and I.  Normally I made Tyler's hot chocolate with straight up milk, but for some reason the thought of warm milk always grossed me out.  I wanted to find a way to get a similar richness of hot chocolate that you get with the milk, but without actually having to heat milk.

To do hot chocolate my way, you'll need hot chocolate (we are lazy and keep packages of it), sugar, heavy whipping cream, and hot water.

First, bring the water to a boil.  Empty the hot chocolate packets into the cup.  When the water has boiled, pour just enough in to cover the amount of chocolate in the bottom of the cup.

Then add just a splash of heavy cream. 

Let the cup sit while you make the whipping cream - it will give the ingredients a chance to dissolve well.

Pour some whipping cream into a bowl.  I never measure because my beaters have left scratch marks in the bowl so I just know where to fill it.  (We really like whipped cream I guess.  That's usually the only thing I use this bowl for.)  For two people, I'd guess I pour approximately 1/2 cup of cream.  Then add 1 - 2 tablespoons of sugar, to taste.

Whip it all together until firm.

Lick the beaters (or let your husband if he realizes what you're making).

Now that you're done with the whipped cream, use the rest of your hot water to fill the cups to about the 3/4 mark, maybe a bit more.  Stir the hot chocolate to get anything that is still settled on the bottom to dissolve. 

 Add spoonfuls of whipped cream, to taste.

Enjoy!  But be careful.  The whipped cream can fool you into thinking the entire drink is cool enough, so don't burn yourself when you get past the first layer!

Oh, and aren't these cups neat?  Tyler got them for his birthday, they are hand crafted by Catherine Orrantia, a well known potter from Arizona!  They are really the perfect hot chocolate mugs!