Spanish Hot Chocolate

Hare here. For my first post, I thought we would start things off with something sweet and very tasty.

Most people think chocolate when they think of Valentines Day. Nothing wrong with it, mind you, but for anyone who would like to do something a little sweeter than usual for their sweetie, I ca recommend this recipe for a Spanish style hot chocolate.

I found this one in one of my cookbooks – at the request of a friend no less. For anyone not familiar with this, a small bit of warning up front – this is some thick chocolate. Very thick. According to the cookbook, “you almost need to eat it with a spoon.” And that’s the truth, folks.

Of course, that also makes it perfect for dipping things, like small cookies, or fruit, or bits of pastry.

Spanish Hot Chocolate

Serves 4-6

3 ½ ounces (100 grams) semisweet chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa, broken up
2 ½ cups of milk
a generous ½ cup of superfine sugar
3 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt.

Melt the chocolate in the milk in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and continue stirring until it dissolves.

Put the cornstarch in a small bowl and make a well in the center. Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot liquid and gradually stir the cornstarch into the liquid until a smooth, thick paste forms. Stir in another 2 tablespoons of hot liquid.

Stir all the cornstarch mixture into the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add vanilla and pinch of salt and bring to a boil, stirring, until the chocolate thickens. Pour into coffee cups and serve.

Source: Food of the World: Spain, the Food and Lifestyle, from Parragon Publishing © 2003

Notes from the Hare

When I tried this out the first time, I used Baker’s chocolate. I doubt I had 70% cocoa in that, but it worked relatively well. I’ve yet to make it with the recommended chocolate, but I will.

I believe the recipe would work best if the chocolate is in relatively large chunks. I had several shavings and small bits of chocolate in mine, and they tend to stick to the spoon and not melt, which annoys me greatly.

The chocolate thickens pretty fast. I didn’t notice it happening. One minute I was stirring along, nice and smooth, and the next minute I was stirring very slowly because the chocolate was thick. It’s a quick transition.