Honestly it's not my birthday or any thing .. but I must say"What a Wonderful day this has been!"
My friend Mom J.
( not to be confused with Mrs. J-Bean)
stopped by unexpectedly !
And she brought Hubby and I a gift!
Wrapped and everything !
Coffee and Mugs! How awesome of her.
This of course warranted big hugs and a long chat sharing coffee over garden catalogs.. It was a wonderful visit.. I even gave her one of the rooster tea towels I had just completed
(the ones in the earlier post) . She oood and aaad over it and couldn't believe I hadn't ever made these (crochet tea towels) before.. it was a great afternoon!
Well after she left and I rested up a bit,
I decided that these new mugs needed to be broke in with something special .
Home made - as in from scratch - hot chocolate!
MM MM MM!
This hot Cocoa Recipe comes strait out of my Grama's ol' wooden recipe box and is one of my favorites..When you measure out the Milk and water ( coffee) for this recipe , use the mugs you will serve in to measure them ( as in the photo below)
to make 2 mugs:1/4 cup Cocoa powder (I use organic)
1 tablespoon flour ( I use all-purpose unbleached)
1 teaspoon vanilla ( I make my own. )
1 cup(mug) sweet milk ( fresh milk with a sweet taste)
1/4 cup sugar ( I use organic)
1 cup(mug) good hot Water
a tiny pinch of salt ( optional- I use kosher if I add it all)
In an appropriate sized sauce pan over medium heat, add and mix together :the cocoa powder, sugar and flour
give this about 20 seconds or so to also warm and just start to melt the sugar
Next add the hot water ( or coffee)Bring just to a boil ..
Don't let this boil over ..
don't take your eyes off it
or it will boil over very quickly!
Stirring continuously,let it boil till it just starts to thicken
(see the thicker liquid on the spoon that's what you want.)
When it has thickened turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hot burner .
Add a little of the hot cocoa mixture(about a tablespoon at a time) to the milk
and stir (called tempering).
Do this several times to warm the milk
then add the milk to the cocoa mixture slowly while stirring the warmed milk in.
Now for the marshmallows
HEY!!!
whered-it-go????
DabNabIt!
Cant turn ma' back for one dern minute!
I swear!
Husband!
You better have saved me some
dang it!!
Any way add marshmallows
( home made are best)
to the cup and top with the hot chocolate!
Hope you enjoyed this as much as...um...
well as much as my husband does any way !
substitutions:
I some times substitute for 1 teaspoon of blackberry or raspberry schnapps, cherry brandy, cherry wine or orange liqueur for the vanilla extract)
I substitute Coffee (organic) for the water when I want something a little bolder ( like I did today).
Did you know
that the term Sweet Milk refers to fresh milk( as in milk right from the cow with cream just skimmed off) ?
It comes from the day when canned and powdered milks were more easily gotten than fresh milk. Today, I use the term to refer to store bought "fresh" milk that has a sweet taste rather than one that has a bitter or powdered taste to it.
Chocolate Blessings !
Ma Fey
I love homemade hot chocolate and I haven't made it yet this year. It's a crime! Heh.
ReplyDeleteI actually did know that about sweet milk! When my dad was a kid he had an uncle with a dairy farm. He would go there sometimes and for breakfast they would take some fresh baked bread (natch), go into the creamery and scrape the solid cream off the top of a vat of milk to spread on it. Sounds awesome, doesn't it?
That hot chocolate sounds absolutely delicious! I am definitely going to try it out! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Bob! You better get to it be for you get grounded, can't let the season go buy with out making at least ONE good cup of hot cocoa! and Oh Yes fresh cream from the creamery.. on home made bread... that sounds SO Wonderful especially on this cold snowy morning! Now that's a culinary delight that sadly to few will ever know, but that makes you and I some of the lucky ones!
ReplyDeleteHey Erin! oh it is and if you do try it, I hope you let me know how you like it .
Warm Sweet Blessings
Ma Fey
i am STILL snowed in and the next storm will be here within an hour! i soooo promise to mail your package out as soon as i can. i am soooo sorry i couldn't get it right out. i hate to get someone excited and then make them wait! we aren't even getting mail here and that is the first time in my life that has happened! just wanted to let you know!
ReplyDeleteJaz, It's ok! I have seen the photos on your blog and more snow is just not what you folks need right now! Isn't it freeky not to get the mail each day?? When the mail person can't get to your door you know it's Bad out there! I am patient-excited and patient. (country living makes one a bit more understanding of not being able to get out of the drive and snow falls to the waist at times. all is good!)
ReplyDeletewe are slated for some place between 6 inches and 3 feet or more depending on which station you tune into here . Our Big fun should begin here in a few hours!
You, Teddy and family are in my thought and prayers! Stay Safe!
Warm Blessings
Ma Fey