I have to admit that I’m pretty addicted to chocolate. I love it in almost all of its forms, with the exception of milk chocolate and even then I can be swayed. White chocolate too, and don’t try to tell me that white chocolate isn’t chocolate. Granted, it’s pure cocoa butter with some kind of dairy and sugar added, but it technically is chocolate and it’s delicious when it’s mixed with fragrant herbs like basil, lavender, any of the lemony herbs and especially rose. If you’ve never had a thick and steamy cup of rose scented white hot chocolate, you have definitely missed one of life’s extraordinary pleasures. I will seek to remedy that for you!
So why do I drop chocolate straight into the elixir category?
The absolute magic of chocolate is that in its most concentrated form the health benefits are huge because cocoa beans contain some of the most potent antioxidants in the world. The compounds we’re talking about are called polyphenols, and most specifically what we are concerned with are what are known as the flavanols.
Flavanols are plant compounds that are known for their superb antioxidant properties. There are quite a few plants besides cocoa that contain large amounts of flavonals, among them tea, cranberries and grapes and blueberries. Red wine does too which is a lovely thought!
We now know that the flavanols in chocolate are thought to support healthy blood pressure, increase and promote a healthy blood flow, and are just in general awesome for supporting a healthy heart. In general , I love to enjoy a bar of chocolate that is 70 percent or higher , 2 squares of it a day for its wonderful benefits, I swear that it keeps my complexion glowing and my brain firing on all cylinders.
That all being said, chocolate is simply delicious and the fact that it’s just so good for you is one of life’s most amazing perks. There is a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa and the French , who tend to be very passionate and opinionated about this, know it well. Hot chocolate, is melted chocolate, not cocoa powder. It’s pretty simple. Heat up your favorite milk or milk alternative and slowly melt some ( read as much as you want!) shaved or chipped chocolate ( not chocolate chips..too much wax) into it. Add about a tablespoon of butter. I use a chocolate bar like this one from Chuao which I like a lot because it already contains the spices I like to add, like cinnamon and chiles! Whisk continuously and add a sweetener like honey, or sugar if you must. Lately I’ve been using coconut sugar which gives the drink a wonderful caramel flavor and has a much lower glycemic index.
If you want to make the rose or lavender flavored white chocolate it’s exactly the same recipe with one difference. Simmer your organic petals or herbs in the milk first and strain. Then add the grated white chocolate and butter then whisk. By the way. Cardamom , roses and white chocolate are a match made in heaven. I simmer a pod of cardamom in the milk along with the rose petals. So incredibly good!
Last bit not least, don’t forget the combination that literally bursts into Yuletide carols, white chocolate and peppermint. You can use a good white chocolate bar for this and a bit of peppermint extract. Top it with bits of candy cane, whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. This is not your healthiest option but it is delicious.
This is definitely not campfire cocoa, which will always have its place buried deep and happily in my heart. What this is instead is a liquid chocolate ganache and it’s completely wonderful.
Hot cocoa is completely different and easier to make, just please use some sort of milk, not water! It’s essentially the same recipe to make a good cup of cocoa, just using a really good cocoa powder instead of the chocolate bar. If you want to add some spice, do it at the beginning strain the milk or if you’re like me, keep the cinnamon in it.
I have been known to make a hybrid using both bittersweet cocoa powder AND a great chocolate bar. It’s delicious, and excessive but who cares? Its wintertime and we all need hugs, blankets and chocolate.
What’s your favorite way to use chocolate? Let me know in the comments!
This is a wonderful article that details the differences between hot cocoa and hot chocolate in a way that makes it very clear! I hope that you enjoy it!
#chocolate #cocoa #hotchocolate
The peppermint bark pic is not mine.