Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 cups whole milk (see note on other varieties)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or maple syrup)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and sweetener of your choice over medium-low heat until it just warms, whisking every 30 seconds or so. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat--milk scorches easily!
  • In a separate small bowl, sift the cocoa and salt powder using a fine-mesh strainer. Once the milk is warm to the touch, remove about 1/4 cup of milk and pour over the cocoa powder. Whisk well until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated and dissolved into the milk and then pour the cocoa mixture back into the milk whisking to combine.
  • In the same bowl that you whisked the cocoa powder, add the chocolate chunks or chips. Pour 1 cup of the warm milk over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk the melted chocolate back into the saucepan.
  • Continue to heat over medium-low heat just until the mixture is fully warmed--about 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more sweetener if desired, whisking to melt the sugar into the hot chocolate.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  • Serve the hot chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows.