Family Batch Hot Chocolate

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk, divided
• 8 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup sugar or 1/4 cup splenda granular
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 dash salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon (optional)
• miniature marshmallow (optional)
• whipped cream (optional)
• chocolate sprinkles (optional) or chocolate shavings (optional)
• cinnamon stick (optional)

Recipe

• 1 put 2 cups of milk into a saucepan or crockpot with the cocoa, vanilla, salt, and sugar/splenda.
• 2 heat slowly (low heat on your stove, high heat in a crockpot), stirring vigorously with a wire whisk until sugar dissolves and cocoa is fully wetted.
• 3 add remaining milk and continue to heat gently (very low heat on stove, low heat in crockpot), stirring frequently and vigorously.
• 4 when steaming hot (do not boil), serve, adding any of your favorite hot chocolate accessories -- mini-marshmallows, whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, etc.
• 5 can be held for a while in a crockpot on warm but may develop a skin. if made in a saucepan best to do any necessary reheating in the microwave.
• 6 note: for an even richer drink substitute a cup of heavy cream for 1 cup of milk.
• 7 note: adults may enjoy a shot of peppermint schnapps, kahlua, spiced rum, or other favorite liquor as an addition.
• 8 note: substituting dutch processed cocoa for regular cocoa gives a distinctly different flavor you might want to try.