This hot chocolate recipe was given to me by a friend a few years ago without attribution to its origins. It is so good that I adopted it as my own and call it LHC Hot Chocolate.
On a bright sunny Colorado day with a few feet of champagne powder covering the mountain and decorating the pine trees, hot chocolate is a perfect accompaniment for sitting on the deck contemplating only pleasant thoughts.
The prep time is only minutes and it is so rich that a small demitasse size serving will suffice for most folks.
LHC Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
½ cup cream
2 tablespoons cocoa powder ( unsweetened)
2 cups Ganache (recipe follows)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
Whipped cream & chocolate shavings
Preparation:
Step 1. Place milk, cream & cocoa powder in a small saucepan
Step 2. Bring to a boil over medium heat
Step 3. Remove from heat and add the ganache
Step 4.let sit for 1 minute then stir well(3 or 4 minutes)
Step 4.Stir in the vanilla
Service: Serve in a small cup topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
Ganache Recipe
Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups heavy cream
Preparation:
Chop chocolate into fine pieces and place in a food processor
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat
Pour hot cream over chocolate in the food processor
Let sit for one minute
Pulse processor 3 or 4 times
Scrape down sides of processor
Pulse again a few times
Transfer ganache to a bowl or baking sheet
Allow to cool for several hours on a kitchen counter
When it cools to 70’ it is ready to be used or covered and stored in the fridge
Storage: The ganache can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks
The LHC Hot Chocolate can be refrigerated and reheated for service
This hot chocolate is such a treat that I did some research to see where it was likely to have originated. I found a number of similar recipes but the most likely origin is with Sherry Yard who wrote The Secrets of Baking. She suggests the traditional Master Ganache preparation using a heatproof bowl and small sauce pan then stirring until the chocolate is melted in the cream and emulsified. I think the food processor works fine!
Tip: Lindt Bittersweet Chocolate is excellent for making the Ganache
