Winter in Boston is tough! Jake and I have two comforters on our bed and we still sleep in sweats and wool socks.
Buster has to wear a coat on his walks. The whole idea of putting a dog in a coat is something that didn't come easily to us. He is a dog after all; he has a built-in coat, right? But when he started shaking and cowering with every wind gust below 15° we knew that it was time to throw in the towel.
My point in complaining about the cold weather is that all you want is something warm to hold and drink. This hot chocolate is so much better than the powder that you get in a packet. It isn't as sweet as the packet; it is closer to European hot chocolate. The flavor is rich even though skim milk makes up a majority of the liquid (not that it's healthy, but it isn't as bad as a lot of other hot chocolates out there). The cornstarch makes it thick and creamy. I love it. Jake does, too. Poor Buster didn't get to have a taste.
Here is the recipe: 1 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups skim milk 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 Tbsp. cocoa power (unsweetened) 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp cornstarch
In a small saucepan, heat the cream, milk, and cinnamon over medium heat. After a couple of minutes throw in the cocoa powder, sugar, and cornstarch. I suppose you could throw it in at the beginning, but it dissolves so much more easily once the milk is warm. Let it heat up until it is at a drinking temperature - nearly boiling - and serve it with marshmallows.
