"HOT CHOCOLATE" :A hot drink of chocolate and milk or cream served with a topping of whipped cream or marshmallows.
PARISIAN HOT
CHOCOLATE:
This unusual rich and creamy hot chocolate is comparable to the one served at Angelina, the famous tea salon in Paris. It is meant to be sipped slowly and savored.
(Makes 3 cups, 6 servings)
2 cups milk
1. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and cocoa powder. Warm over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the cocoa. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until it melts completely. Bring the mixture to a simmer, but do not boil. Return the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Stir the mixture to cool briefly, then ladle into serving cups.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the wire whip attachments or in a mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, whip the cream until frothy. Add the sugar and continue to whip until the cream holds soft peaks. Place a dollop of cream on top of each serving of hot chocolate.
THE FIRST
CHOCOLATE DRINKS
The drink the Astecs consumed was far different than what is known today as hot chocolate. They drink a bitter liquid flavored with chile peppers. In much the same way as is done today, the cacao beans were sun dried, roasted, and then ground on a metate with a small amount of water. Often vanilla was added along with maize and achiote (annatto), for color. A paste was produced, which was shaped into little cakes that could be stored until needed. To make the beverage chocolatl,
they broke off a piece of cocoa cake and mixed it with water. Then they transferred this liquid back and forth between two gourd vessels, to make it frothy and light.
When Cortés brought chocolate to Spain in 1530, it was much too bitter for the Spanish taste. They added sugar and spices that they were familiar with, such as cinnamon, black pepper, and anise to the cocoa paste, which made it much more palatable and widely accepted. Occasionally a variety of other flavorings were added to the mixture, such as achiote, almods, hazelnuts, ambergris, and orange flower water or powdered roses. The chocolate paste was mixed with warm rather cool water and frothed by heating with a molinillo. The Spanish likde their chocolate so well that they tried to keep it a secret from the rest of Europe, and succeeded for close to a hundred years.
HOT FUDGE SAUCE
This delicious sauce has many uses. Try it over ice cream to make a terrific sundae.
(Makes 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup water
1. Combine the water and butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the cocoa powder and stir with a wooden spoon until it is completely blended. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
3. Add the corn syrup and sugars. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Remove from the heat and stir to cool for 2 minutes. Blend in the vanilla thoroughly. Serve the sauce while warm or store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm the sauce in a double boiler or the microwave oven before using.
CHOCOLATE
CONSUMPTION PER PERSON PER COUNTRY
Britain spends the most per year on chocolate, $5.3 billion.
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