Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! With the holidays upon us, I wanted to share a quick entertaining idea with you that lets you enjoy the spirit of the next few days while letting you focus your attention where it counts: on your guests. Tonight I’m having some friends and family over for an open house, where we’ll sit in front of our (fake) fireplace, watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and indulge in some delicious hot chocolate. For me there’s nothing like a warm beverage in hand to say “cozy”, and a hot chocolate bar is the perfect, low-fuss way to get people in the holiday spirit.
Simply set out some mugs of warm hot chocolate with mix and match toppings like candy canes, marshmallows, and whipped cream. Speaking of spirits, put some Baileys on your table and no one will be complaining!
In the name of finding a super simple but delicious recipe, I’ve been doing some hot chocolate tasting for you and I’m happy to say I’ve found a new favorite way to make this dessert. It leans more toward the drinking chocolate end of things, and avoids the clumps that sometimes come with powdered mixes.
Here’s the formula:
1 cup milk of your choice (I prefer almond milk, but you could go for whole milk for an authentic feel) + 2 squares of chocolate, chopped
Heat the ingredients in a small sauce pot, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Then, pour the mix into a mug, add some spirits if you please, and top with your favorite sweets.
Done and done.
For my hot chocolate, I loved using Ghirardelli Squares in different flavors because I could try a whole bunch of mixes. Dark chocolate stirred with a peppermint stick? Yes. Salted caramel with melted marshmallows on top? Double yes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and most importantly, enjoy a few days to rest, relax, and recharge. You’ve really, truly made it so much fun for me on this year’s blogging journey, and I appreciate every one of your comments and emails. Thanks so much for reading and best wishes.
xoxo Tanya
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