From Scratch - Hot Cocoa and Homemade Whipped Cream

The last week has been chilly and rainy and I found myself drinking lots of hot tea.  Tonight though, I wanted a treat.  I decided it was time for homemade hot cocoa and whipped cream.  I learned how to make this last year after I read the ingredient list on a packet of premade cocoa and it definitely broke one of my food rules (if I cannot pronounce an ingredient I probably shouldn't be consuming it!)  I was shocked by how amazingly simple both hot cocoa and whipped cream are too make and felt like I had been deprived of this deliciousness and settling for a very poor substitute for my entire life.  I tweaked the recipes until I felt like they were perfect and now, I must share both recipes with you so you can enjoy them throughout the long cold winter.

Hot Cocoa for Four

Ingredients

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

4 cups milk (Although most recipes say skim, I prefer whole milk, it makes the drink a little thicker and richer)

A couple of splashes of vanilla extract  

Directions

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and water, heat thoroughly but do not boil.  Stir for 2 minutes. Add in milk and vanilla; heat to serving temperature. Again, do NOT boil.  Remove from the heat. Whisk until frothy.  

 

 

Now for the whipped cream.  Let me just say that this stuff is so good that I will NEVER buy whipped cream in a tub or can again.

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

 

1/4 cup sugar (most recipes will say confectioners sugar, I prefer regular)

 

1-2 teaspoons Vanilla

 

 

 

Directions

 

Dump everything into your mixing bowl and using the wisk beater, beat on high until you see stiff peaks form.

 



 



I usually make a lot and then freeze it in dollops so that they are ready to just plop into a cup of cocoa.  Place a piece of parchment in the bottom of cake pan or onto a cookie sheet.  Scoop serving size portions of whipped cream onto sheet and freeze.  When they are frozen I put them into a freezer bag for storage.  With the above recipe I got around two dozen servings.  Another added benefit of frozen serving sizes is that they melt slowly and last for the entire cup of cocoa.  Yummy!

There you have it, homemade hot cocoa and whipped cream.  Simple and delicious ~ Enjoy!