Hot chocolate recipes for every need

HOT CHOCOLATE is like pancakes. Both aren't hard to make from scratch, but for some inexplicable reason, most people use mixes and the end result suffers. Here are some wonderful recipes guaranteed to produce wintry, chocolate bliss.

Boozed-up or "virgin," spice-laced or marshmallow-topped, enough for a crowd or a single cup just for you - there's a hot chocolate recipe to cover every need. The first one doesn't even use cocoa.

HOT SPICED WHITE CHOCOLATE

1 pint whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons honey

6-7 cardamom pods, lightly toasted and cracked

Zest of 1 lemon

Pinch salt

8 ounces quality white chocolate

Bring all ingredients but chocolate to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

Return to a boil, strain over white chocolate. Whisk or use a hand blender to combine. Serves 2-4.

WINTER SCENTED SIPPING CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon Hershey Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon clove

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Simmer all ingredients together, serve warm. Serves 8.

THE WAITING ROOM

1 1/2 ounce espresso

1 1/2 ounces prepared hot chocolate

1 1/4 ounce Frangelico

1 1/4 ounce peppermint schnapps

Cinnamon

Combine espresso and hot chocolate and bring almost to a boil. Add liquor and serve immediately with a dusting of cinnamon. Serves 1.

OLD-FASHIONED HOT CHOCOLATE

2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling

Sprinkle the cornstarch over ½ cup milk in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve. Whisk in the sugar and egg yolks until combined.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, bring 2 cups milk and the vanilla bean to a gentle simmer (if using extract, add it below). Remove the bean, scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk, and discard the bean. Gradually whisk the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, then return mix to the pan.

Cook, whisking often, until the mixture comes to a full boil, about 3 minutes. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now. Strain the custard through a wire sieve into a bowl.

Add the chocolate to the custard. Bring the remaining 1 cup milk to a boil and pour over the custard and chocolate mixture. Let sit until the chocolate begins to melt, about 1 minute, then stir until smooth.

Pour the thick chocolate into mugs and enjoy a generous dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with cocoa powder. Serves 6.

HOT CHOCOLATE FOR A CROWD

1 gallon 2-percent milk

1 quart half-and-half

7 ounces Scharffenberger Bittersweet Chocolate

7 ounces Hershey's Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1 ounce Hershey's Baking Unsweetened Chocolate

14 ounces Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

2 ounces Dutch cocoa

1/2 ounce coffee extract

Simmer the milk and half-and-half. Add the syrup, cocoa and coffee extract. Stir until simmering over medium-low heat.

Add the three chocolate types and whisk until smooth. Serve immediately. Serves 24.

CHRISTINA'S SPICED HOT CHOCOLATE

2 ounces 48 percent milk chocolate

2 ounces 52 percent dark chocolate

1 ounce 72 percent dark chocolate

4 ounces whole milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

3 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 ounce Fernet Branca (Italian herbal liquor)

1/2 ounce Hennessy VS Cognac

Marshmallow for garnish

Combine all ingredients through the cayenne pepper to make Spiced Hot Chocolate Base. Add liquors to 5 ounces of the base mix. Garnish with a marshmallow. Serves 1.

PARISIAN HOT CHOCOLATE

2 cups water

1 vanilla bean

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 quart half-and-half (fat-free works)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Bring water and vanilla bean to a boil in a saucepan. Add cocoa and sugar, bring to a boil and whisk for 2 minutes.

Add half-and-half, return to a boil.

Remove from heat and add bittersweet chocolate. Strain.

Serves 6-8 in demitasse cups.