Nothing Blue about Blue Mountain ... Except the Skies

At a recent trip to The Blue Mountains we were blessed with some awesome weather:  clear blue skies, crisp, clean air and just enough snow to make the ground sparkle.  Simply beautiful.  Instantly made me think of the holidays and a hot cup of cocoa by the fire.

I snatched this simple recipe from Stephanie Jaworski

Hot Chocolate: Place the milk, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and sugar (if using), in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk periodically until the mixture just reaches the boiling point. Remove from heat and if more foam is desired, use a wire whisk or hand held immersion blender to whip the hot chocolate. Pour the hot chocolate into two cups and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder or grated chocolate, if desired. Preparation time 10 minutes. Whipped Cream: In your mixing bowl, place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. If you have time, cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two. Note: To make hot or iced mocha simply replace 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk with your favorite brewed coffee. Proceed with the recipe and if you want it iced, let the mixture cool and then pour over ice cubes. Garnish with whipped cream and grated chocolate. Note: Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Reheat. Makes 2 - 8 ounce (240 ml) servings.

Hot Chocolate Recipe:

2 cups (480 ml) milk

3 ounces (90 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 ounce (30 grams) milk chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, or to taste (optional)

Whipped Cream:

1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar

Grated chocolate or cocoa powder

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/HotChocolate.html#ixzz1gdIEK2Gy