Classic Spanish Hot Chocolate Drink

Jangomango's Note:

This is so simple but astonishingly delicious. It is just chocolate and milk. The secret to making a creamy, rich, frothy chocolate drink is all in the technique. You just heat it, whisk it, heat it, whisk it etc until it's the thickness you want. And it can get VERY thick. In Spain, this is often breakfast, along with churros. Traditionally, a wooden hand mill called a molinillo was used to whisk it, but a wire whisk or hand held electic whisk works just as well.

• Total Time: 8 mins
• Prep Time: 2 mins
• Cook Time: 6 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 2 cups milk
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 4 ounces semisweet chocolate (not unsweetened or ordinary chocolate)
• ½ teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)
• 1⁄8; teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 2 slices orange rind or 2 slices mandarin orange rind , 1 inch strips (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan.
2. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts.
3. Increase heat and bring just to boil, stirring often.
4. Remove from heat and whisk until frothy.
5. Return to heat and bring just to boil again.
6. Remove from heat and whisk until frothy.
7. Repeat until it is nice and thick.
8. Pour hot chocolate into mugs.

Reviews

[P4]

My small, 21 month old son says it best about this drink - "Ummmm, numa-numa!!!!" with a huge grin on his face and a chocolate mustache, then looking greedily at the cup. If you picture this scene in your head, you will know what this family thinks of this drink. It is numa-numa - absolutely delicious, and very easy to make, and very impressive, and I can't think of a single thing that would improve it. After making it twice, though, once with whole milk and once with 1%, I can say that while it is delicious either way, the whole milk makes a much richer, more "numa" drink. Also, I used instant espresso powder instead of coffee powder because that was all we had. Delicious, LLBunny - really really delicious. BTW - I tried making this recipe substituting white chocolate for the bittersweet - it's DELICIOUS! Give that variation a try, too.

[HeatherFeather]

This is very tasty and rich. I first tired using a wire whisk and found it very bothersome to keep whisking away, boiling, whisking, etc. Then I tried this with an electric frother whisk and it was a much more pleasant experience- if you have one,that is definitely the best way to go here. I used a bar of bitterwseet Lindt chocolate in this, which worked very nicely.

[Andrea Nazarevich]

Excellent!!!!It is veryyyy flavorsome and mouthwatering!!!!!!!! Strongy tantalizing and pleasurable and partialy gratifying!I felt toothsome ensuing devouring and consuming this calibogus!!!!! thank you very much~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!