The Best Hot Chocolate

By gnikylime

Note: Holidays '09 did 3 servings, but 2 would have been sufficient

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup good quality Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Place milk and half-and-half in a saucepan and heat to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, stir together the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon. A few teaspoons at a time, stir the hot milk into the cocoa mixture to make a smooth paste. Scrape the cocoa mixture into the saucepan with the milk and simmer 2 minutes; do not let it boil. Stir in the vanilla and keep warm in a thermos.

Pour into small serving cups.