El Dorado Hot Chocolate

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water, plus
• 2 tablespoons water
• 8 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate or 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 6 cups milk
• 6 ounces cinnamon schnapps, see cook's note (recommended goldschlager)
• 3 ounces golden rum

Recipe

• 1 stir the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. uncover and continue to cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is a dark golden caramel, 7 to 10 minutes. (it should smell slightly burnt.).
• 2 pull pan from the heat and carefully pour the 1/4 cup water into the caramel. take care; it may spatter a lot. whisk until smooth and allow to cool. (the burnt caramel can be held for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.)
• 3 when ready to serve: put 3 tablespoons of the burnt caramel into 4 mugs or cups and top evenly with the chopped chocolate. bring the milk to a simmer in a medium pan over medium heat. pull pan from the heat and add the goldschlager and rum; pour over the chocolate. serve el dorado hot chocolates with a spoon to stir the layers together.
• 4 cook's note: goldschlager is a cinnamon flavored liqueur with small flecks of edible gold.