Stars at the Holidays 2012

Mexican Hot Chocolate

As the sun sets and the cold weather rolls in, holiday entertaining can finally begin. Treat your guests to something different this season...it's never too late to start a new holiday tradition!

Instead of end-of-the-evening coffee, serve up rich Mexican hot chocolate. Made with cinnamon, chile powder, and spiked with chocolate liqueur, it's just a little bit spicy—perfect for heating things up.

Ingredients:
•2 cups reduced-fat evaporated milk
•½ cup whole milk
•½ cup chocolate liqueur
•1 tsp vanilla extract
•¼ cup sugar
•1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
•1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•¼ tsp ancho chile powder (plus a few pinches for garnish)
•2 cinnamon sticks
•1 dried red chile
•2 ½ oz. bittersweet chocolate, in pieces (plus shavings for garnish)
•¼ cup heavy whipping cream
•Whipped cream, for garnish

Directions:
Whisk both milks, liqueur, vanilla, sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and chile powder in a heavy saucepan. Add 2 cinnamon sticks and chile, and heat until warm. Add chocolate, whisking until melted. Gently bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until liquid thickens and reduces slightly, whisking often, 10 minutes. Combine cream with remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon; beat until peaks form. Ladle cocoa into cups (avoiding the cinnamon sticks and whole chile!). Top with whipped cream; garnish with chile powder and shavings.

Serves 8

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