Parisian Hot Chocolate

I love collecting hot chocolate recipes from different countries. When wintering in Paris, one of life's great pleasures is sipping a cup of rich hot chocolate, le chocolat chaud, in a cozy café. This hot chocolate is deeply flavorful, but not over-the-top rich, so enjoy anytime! Adapted from David Lebovitz's blog

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups  whole milk
• 5  ounces bittersweet chocolate (with at least 70% cacao solids)
• 2  tablespoons light brown sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan.
2. Once the milk is warm, whisk in the chocolate, stirring until melted and steaming hot.
3. For a thicker hot chocolate, cook at a very low boil for about 3 minutes, whisking frequently. Be careful and keep an eye on the mixture, as it may boil up a bit during the first moments.
4. Taste, and add brown sugar if desired.
5. Serve warm in small, demitasse cups.
6. Enjoy!
7. Note: This hot chocolate improves if made ahead and allowed to sit for a few hours. Rewarm before serving. David also likes to add a few flecks of fleur de sel, the very good sea salt from Brittany.