Winter is a time for cozy sweaters, keeping warm, and the best hot drinks.  A good hot chocolate recipe is an essential to the perfect winter season.  But while you’re drinking that delicious hot drink, do you ever think about if people ate it the same way in the 18th century?

Hot chocolate became very popular in Europe after being introduced by Mexico and has changed many times since then.  Until around the 19th century, hot chocolate was used to just drink or even used medically to treat ailments such as liver and stomach diseases.  People have drank it exclusively as a drink throughout its 4,000 years in history.   Now, hot chocolate is the perfect drink for the non-coffee drinkers that want to warm up after a long cold day inside or out.

Perfect Hot Chocolate

Makes: 1-2 servings

Hot Chocolate

2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ teaspoons sugar

1 ½ cups milk

⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream (optional)

1 cup whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

To make the hot chocolate

1. Put the milk, chocolate chips, and sugar into a saucepan and turn the heat to low/medium temperature.
2. Stir slowly constantly and let the milk starts to warm up and the chocolate chips start to melt. (It will take about 5 minutes)
3. Make sure you do NOT let the milk boil.
4. You will know that it is ready when the milk is hot and the chocolate chips are all melted.

For the whipped cream:

1. In a hand held mixer or a standing mixer add your heavy whipping cream and turn the mixer onto medium/high speed and mix for about a minute.
2. All at once, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and keep whipping on high until soft/medium peaks form.
3. Spoon as much or as little as you want on top of the hot chocolate.

Optional toppings:

Shaved chocolate

Peppermint stick

Cinnamon

Marshmallows

Caramel