The Perfect Hot Chocolate (Made From Scratch!)

Anyone else look forward to huge mugs of piping-hot melted chocolate, milk, and whipped cream (okay, maybe add some Bailey’s too) this time of year?! We’re talking, of course, about the obligatory beverage of any wintertime night in: hot chocolate. While your hot chocolate ritual might entail a box of factory-sealed envelopes containing micro-portions of chocolate-flavored powder (it has a time and a place and we don’t judge), we’re here to tell you that an über-rich, molten hot chocolate made from scratch takes almost the same amount of time and effort to make. Get out a bar of chocolate and put on some sweatpants—let’s make hot chocolate!

Rich Hot Chocolate
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

• 2 cups milk
  ½ cup to ¾ cup finely chopped dark chocolate (66-72% cocoa, or your favorite), to taste, plus more for garnish
  Whipped cream, for serving

Place milk in a small saucepan and heat over medium until bubbles are just beginning to form around the edges of the pan. Add the chocolate and stir until dissolved. Serve with whipped cream and grated chocolate, if desired.

Top with marshmallows (I like to brulée them when I’m feeling extra over the top) or vanilla ice cream (or both) and enjoy!

Here’s a video tutorial by West Elm that I absolutely love! Watch and see just how easy the recipe above really is.