Hot chocolate

Spicy and will warm you right up.

For some, hot chocolate is a comfort food.. it's warm and sweet. Sometimes it's part of a family bedtime ritual.

Hot chocolate recipes usually involve chocolate melted and dissolved into warmed milk. Variations include different spices to intensify the flavor, especially "warm" spices. Alternatives to the milk include cream, water, soy milk or other milk substitutes. Some recipes include sweeteners or liquors. To add a special touch, finish it off with whipped cream, whisked foam, chocolate shavings, a stirrer made of a peppermint stick, marshmallows or sticks coated in rock candy (crystallized sugar).

Basic Ingredients

 * milk
 * cocoa (about 3 teaspoons per cup of milk) or chocolate

Additional Ingredients
The following ingredients are added to create different recipes and flavor to individuals' preferences.
 * sweeteners
 * sugar
 * powdered sugar
 * honey
 * spices
 * cinnamon
 * vanilla
 * chili powder
 * salt
 * liqueurs
 * Crème de cacao
 * Bailey's Irish Cream
 * Kahlua
 * orange or other fruit liqueur
 * flourishes
 * candy stick
 * whipped cream
 * crystallized sugar on a stick (also for stirring)