Ultimate Hot Chocolate

I believe if you’re going to drink hot chocolate, drink hot chocolate. The real deal. Go big and luscious with toppings and add-ons, what I like to call the ultimate hot chocolate. ‘Tis the season to do things right, after all.

If you live in Northwest Arkansas, pick up a bag of Loblolly Creamery‘s Spicy Hot Chocolate at Ozark Natural Foods. If spicy isn’t your thing, Loblolly makes regular and peppermint as well. Or, use whatever hot chocolate mix or recipe you prefer. One thing I know—it will be creamier if you whip it up with hot milk rather than water.

Oh the toppings!

The hot chocolate is only the beginning. Next, the fun part.

I fancied mine up with steamed milk on top which is much like adding whipped cream. (Two years ago my kids gave me a milk steamer and I use it every morning.) If this isn’t an option, go all out with whipped cream instead.

A pillowy soft marshmallow is a must for ultimate hot chocolate. Treat yourself to a bag of fresh, handcrafted marshmallows. Or,  make your own. I’ve never made them, but my Dallas friend, Marcia, makes batches during the holidays and they are spectacular.

In my efforts to keep it local, I bought a bag of Loblolly vanilla marshmallows. Handmade marshmallows make the regular smores-making marshmallows hide in shame on the bottom of the grocery store shelf… Bless their hearts.

So the marshmallow? Roast it.

I imagine I’m not the only person who’s roasted marshmallows on my gas stovetop. When I only want a couple of roasted marshmallows (or a single roasted hot dog), this is much easier than making a bonfire.

Umm, yes, it’s a bit like something Cousin Eddie would do. But hey, it works.

Tip: a fork works great as a stovetop skewer. But for my ultimate hot chocolate, I used a Christmas-y cocktail pick. And I barely ran the marshmallow through the flame. No one has time for a melted stovetop mess…

And then.

Drizzle with hot fudge (the sort used for hot fudge sundaes).

Sip slow—-ly to make every drop last.

Hot Chocolate Bar.

A Christmas Eve hot chocolate bar would sure be a holly jolly time. Wouldn’t it?

I can just imagine all the sinful festive topping options.

Toasted coconut.
Chocolate shavings.
Butterscotch chips.
Sprinkles.
Cinnamon.
Caramel sauce.
Peppermint bits or a peppermint stick.
Vanilla ice cream.
Graham cracker crumbs.

Yum.

I can’t say for sure what Santa prefers, but in this day and age, I think he’d appreciate hot chocolate over plain milk. With this, you can probably skip the cookies.

One week til Christmas Eve…

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.