Holiday Spirits

When I was a kid, I loved hot chocolate. Big surprise, huh? Aside from my sister, who for some very strange reason used to pretend she was allergic to chocolate when we were kids, and is a mystery still left unsolved. I now notice that as a grown woman in her twenties that strange allergy seems to have miraculously lifted. Every child to my knowledge likes hot chocolate.

What’s not to like? It’s just about perfect: a warm drink from the bitter cold that brings you close to the table: your cold little hands burning up as they clasp around the mug. Not to mention it’s chocolate: even the ancients used to refer to it as the “gift from the gods”. My love affair with a perfectly brewed cup of hot cocoa continues to this very day.

As I’ve grown up, however, my girlfriends and I have developed a taste for a slightly different variation: adult hot chocolate, if you will. I have one friend (a pastry chef to boot—you can imagine how handy she becomes around the holidays) that particularly favors a simple shot (or two) of Bailey’s Irish Crème in her hot cocoa. I, personally, prefer the recipe for a Hot Chocolate Almond listed below (I also like Toasted Almonds and drink Almond Milk…are you sensing a pattern here?)

There are several really delicious recipes for spiked hot chocolate floating around, and every one of them offers a slightly unique take on an otherwise simple and almost perfect beverage. I’ve compiled a short list of some of them for you here. Hope you enjoy J.

For this one, you’ll need 2 ounces of Butterscotch Schnapps, ½ an ounce of Amaretto Almond Liqueur, 5 ounces of Caffe D’Vita’s Premium Hot Cocoa Mix and 1 ounce of whipped cream.

Pour the butterscotch schnapps, amaretto and hot chocolate into a mug or spiffy looking Irish Coffee glass if you’ve got one and stir it all together. Top it with whipped cream and serve it. Sometimes I’ll put a sliver of strawberry on the rim of the glass for a garnish—it’s up to you. You can also use one of those icing-filled cookie sticks as stirrers.

Dreamy Chocolate Winter

The Dreamy Chocolate Winter is another one of my favorites (probably because it too involves Amaretto). You’ll need an ounce of Irish Cream, 1 ounce of Kahlua (my parents make great homemade Kahlua…so I’m predisposed to think it’s the best choice) an ounce of Amaretto and 6 ounces of Caffe D’Vita’s Premium Hot Cocoa.

Just add all of the ingredients together and stir it. This one has so many tastes going on that I would try it first before adding any whipped cream. Maybe some cinnamon would go well on top.

Godiva Peppermint Patty
Because he was always woefully addicted to Thin Mints whenever my sister would sell Girl Scout cookies, this one instantly makes me think of my dad. You’ll need about ½ a cup of Caffe D’Vita’s Premium Hot Cocoa, 1 shot of peppermint schnapps, and 1 shot of Godiva liqueur.

Pour the hot cocoa into a brandy snifter and add the liqueur and schnapps. Sit back and swirl them together. The original recipe calls for whipped cream, but I think it looks tacky in the glass and takes away from that spark of peppermint you get from the drink. It’s up to you.

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