Hot Cocoa, Outside the Box

Cold weather often means going to your local supermarket and stocking up on canned goods and boxed hot cocoa mix. Nothing is more appealing than tearing open a pouch of flavored powder, pouring it into a mug, covering it with boiled milk and freeze-dried marshmallows ... right?

Wrong, very wrong! Throw away all your boxed cocoa mixes and rethink the (artificial) hot cocoa traditions you’ve lived through. It’s time to spice up your favorite mug with these “outside the box” hot cocoa ideas.

Let’s start from the beginning, with the basics of hot cocoa: milk (or any liquid) and cocoa powder. Since we’re planning to up your cocoa game, I want you to grab not only your favorite cocoa powder, also but confectioners’ sugar, salt (yes, salt), dry powdered milk (optional) and cornstarch.

Combine 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1¼ cups cocoa powder 2½ cups powdered milk, 1¼ teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a large container. Seal your container and shake thoroughly. Stow your container in a safe place and wait for the perfect brisk winter evening to show your mug some love.

 Now that I’ve persuaded you to throw away the old and jar up the new, let’s get to work. The classic is simple: Scoop ⅓ cup of your new mix into your preferred mug, boil 6 ounces of liquid (your choice of milk—dairy, soy, almond, coconut, etc.—or water), pour your liquid over the mix, stir and enjoy!

Fantastic! Your nostalgic goosebumps are showing without having to tear into a dusty cardboard box. Success! Now let’s raise the bar yet again.

Want to spice things up? Scoop out ⅓ cup of your mix into your favorite mug, add ⅛ teaspoon cardamom, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and 1 pinch of nutmeg. Pour 6 ounces of desired liquid over the newly spiced mix, garnish with a cinnamon stick and sip up the spicy winter season.

Now, for the real fun: alcohol! Adults only, please! What if I told you, you could create a “bubbly” hot chocolate? No, I’m not crazy, and yes, it tastes delicious. Stout. Yes, beer and hot chocolate. Again, begin with your usual ⅓ cup scoop of hot cocoa mix. Let’s warm up 2 ounces of milk, add to your mix, stir to dissolve and put aside. Now, let’s talk stouts. I recommend using Gun Hill Brewing Co.’s Void of Light stout beer. It’s perfectly dark, rich and has espresso-cocoa notes. Pour 5 ounces of Void of Light into a pot and bring to a simmer. Pour your warmed stout over the cocoa mix, top off your mug with the bubbles remaining in the pot and sip responsibly.

Now that I’ve proved to you that you can, in fact, relive your childhood hot cocoa memories without flimsy cardboard boxes or freeze dried marshmallows, take the next step and create a new memory. You can make it spicy, seasonal, local or boozy, all I ask is for you make it new and make it better than ever.