Following the K-I-S-S principle
Sorry that I’ve been a bit absentee of late, but I’m trying to finish a list of tasks that I need to get done before I go back to uni for the final semester of my BA in a few weeks and one of them in particular is driving me absolutely batsh*t crazy! Argh! In fact, it almost seems that this particular tasks exists for the pure and simple reason of driving me just a little loopy. And when this task is not driving me to my wits end, I am trying to combat the bone-chilling cold that currently has all of Melbourne (let alone the rest of the state) in it’s long-fingered and icy clutches.
Believe it or not, it’s a LITTLE bit hard to go out for a cuppa tea when its so bitterly cold out that the only bit of your body which is exposed to the elements are your eyes, and those only because you kinda need to see where you’re going, and wearing an eye-warming piece of clothing such as a blindfold is deemed somewhat impractical after receiving quite a few dents to your shins…and I was going somewhere with this ranty mc-rant-rant, but I’ve lost track of where I was going…
Oh yes! Well, since it’s just a teensy bit difficult to try and make it to Koko Black or Max Brenner for a social hot chocolate, I had to buckle down and try and make my own somewhat decent cup of endorphin-enducing liquid for the very first time.
Yeah, yet another confession - I had never actually made myself a cup of hot chocolate before. Ever. I am vehemently against making it with cocoa powder (I swear those little particles coat my tongue and leave me feeling like a cat who’s just given itself a bit too thorough a cleaning afterwards!) and thus my little tin of powder is strictly reserved for use in chocolate cakes and cookies.
How to make it, though? I didn’t want anything overly sweet, creamy or fancy - none of this orangey, cinnamony nonsense that others seem to revel in! All I wanted was a plain, pure cup of creamy chocolatey goodness that I could melt a few home-made marshmallows in and enjoy while wrapped neck-to-toe in a big fluffy ‘doona‘ (otherwise known as a duvet to your Northern Hemisphere folks). For help in this situation, I turned to the delightful Alice Medrich’s “Bittersweet” for assistance, and assistance I found! Unlike the other recipes in this book, the method that Alice recommended for a good and simple cup of hot chocolate followed the K-I-S-S principle (and though I’m sure y’all know what it means, for those who don’t, it means Keep-It-Simple,-Stupid!). Nothing more than good quality chocolate, water and milk. The added bonus for me was that since I could use a dark chocolate and soy milk, I was able to keep the throat-clogging dairy content down which meant I was really able to enjoy my hot choc without gagging on my body’s reaction to too much moo-juice.
(No, I’m not vegetarian or vegan, I just have a mild dairy intolerance which likes to rear its ugly head particularly when I drink milky things. Eating doesn’t present much of a problem to my throat, no idea why…)
I really can’t wait for summer to come back, with it’s long languorous days, fresh berries and sunkissed fruits…but till then, at least I’m able to fix myself a mug of hot chocolate to warm my insides while I imagine lying on my deck with my toes dangling in the pool 
Rich Hot Chocolate
( serves 4-5, from Alice Medrich’s “Bittersweet“)
Ingredients
180-200g dark or milk chocolate (1 went with 2 bars of Lindt 75% dark as I wanted rich but not sweet)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups milk
1. Place chocolate in a small saucepan, then pour over 3/4 cup of boiling water over the chocolate and stir vigorously till the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
2. Stir in the rest of the water and milk, then heat over medium heat while whisking continuously till hot but not bubbling.
3. Serve immediately with some home-made marshmallows, or set aside and reheat just before serving!
P.S. Is anyone having trouble loading my page? I’ve had a few emails (okay, so just 2) from people saying that everything appears fine in their feed reader, but when they try and load the actual website, it throws a major hissy fit…
Technorati Tags: recipes, methods, cooking, hot chocolate, alice medrich, winter, drinks
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Comments
Laura Mmmm, hot chocolate! And homemade marshmallows to boot, joy It’s summer here (though you wouldn’t know it by today’s weather, which is as grey and gloomy as it gets), but this sounds perfect for pulling out again once December arrives.
Re: the page loading - the only issue I’ve had lately is with the post before this one. RSS found it fine, but your page said that no such post existed. Tried it a couple of times that day, in fact. Tried it again the next day and it worked like a charm… no idea what its problem was 
Patricia Scarpin I would never have thought of making hot chocolate with water, Ellie!
It looks luscious!
Belinda Haha! Moo Juice! That’s hilarious!
Your hot chocolate looks so enticing…and homemade marshmallows?! Wow! Even though it is hotter than three hecks here in south Georgia, I still have a cup of hot chocolate a couple of times a week. I’m gonna try your version for sure. And your lime cakes…
Tanna That does look like delightful hot chocolate, I’m glad to know it’s from Bittersweet. I need to spend some serious time with that one.
Yes, I’m with Peabody, I’ll trade my summer for your winter.
Ari (Baking and Books) Oooh, hot chocolate is one of those simple pleasures I haven’t indulged in for some time. Thanks for the reminder and I love your new design!
Jenny It’s the texture of milk more than the flavor. I too can’t drink the stuff (unless it is chocolate) but can handle all kinds of other dairy goodies!
Your hot chocolate looks great, and I”ll probably refer back to it when we have winter!
Callipygia Good luck with staying warm and school prep. This hot chocolate looks like it will go a long way in helping you stay sane. Texture and chocolate saturation is indeed key, I find if i use soy milk it seems to make the drink even “richer” maybe all that extra bean.
Belinda Ellie…just wanted to let you know that I sent you an e-mail (hope it went through!), and I got my limes. As soon as I round up my mini loaf pans, I’ll be in business!
neil M has taken to making her own version with Milo, did you know that if you put the marshmallows in with it and heat it up in the microwave, the marshmallows blow right up like giant pillows before melting into the drink? It looks fabulous!
Helen I too make mine with water and a splash of almond milk. It adds a nice nutty flavor. Awesome pictures!
Marenda Taylor Wow I have to try this when it gets cold here. How do you make home made marshmallows that sounds like a possibly fun and sticky process. So glad I came across your blog…BTW it loaded fine no problem in firefox on my mac
Ellie Deborah - Ewww, okay, I can totally understand wanting a little cool if your temperatures have been that awful! I’m not a summer or winter person really, I like my mid-seasons (I can’t wait for spring!) for their moderate temperatures
Laura - Grey and gloomy? Summer storm? Possibly one of my favourite things about summer are the thunderous summer storms that you sometimes get, they’re so dramatic and beautiful! 
Ahh, December…I miss my white Christmases As for the problem with the previous post *cough cough* that was actually my fault, I was just writing a draft to post the next day and accidentally published it instead of saving it as a draft 
Sorry!
Patricia - Neither would I, but I think if I’d made it entirely with milk I probably would have died The water helps to make the drink not so rich, but still allows the chocolate flavour to shine through!
Kat - Hot choc and winter go hand in hand like that 
Anh - It would be my pleasure!
Lynn - Absolutely! A hot chocolate without a marshmallow is like a pizza without cheese
Belinda - It’s a good phrase, isn’t it? Can’t remember where I picked it up, but I’ve been using it for awhile I’m totally impressed with your hot chocolate love - when it’s that hot here in Australia, I tend to have iced chocolates because I can’t stand to drink anything warmer than tepid
Peabody - Deal! So long as I can can still submerge myself in my pool, I can deal with anything
Tanna - Bittersweet is a great book, and I know what you mean, I really need to spend some more time with it and give it a proper read through
Ari - Thanks, hon I’m sorry to hear about the hot choc, but I’m hoping that chocolate itself has been around in some shape or form
Jenny - It’s much the same for me Something about the clagginess of milk just catches in my throat, which then goes nuts and has me coughing up phlegm for half an hour afterwards :/ and yet, I’m fine with all other dairy goodness (well, in moderation anyway!)
Callipygia - Thanks sweetie I think the soy milk gave it a different richness, replacing the dairy with the fullness of soy milk
Belinda - Can’t wait to see what you think of the lime cakes
Neil - Ooh, I shall most definitely have to give this trick a try
Truffle - Winter is the season for all things comforting
Cheryl - Hehehe, wanna trade your heat for my cold?
Helen - Almond milk? Oooh, now there’s an idea
Marenda - Hi hon The recipe for the home made marshmallows is in my recipe index, and it is ridiculously messy, though very fun indeed
Ellie KT - Hope you like it
ApplesH - Thanks!
Cris - Oooh, I know your pain! Hopefully you had some hot choc to warm you up
Oh, how I wish it was winter here!! I am not a winter person, but the temps have been hovering in the low 100’s or high 90’s (F) for weeks now, and the heat is really taking it’s toll on me. I can’t wait for winter to enjoy a nice cup of cocoa.