Bad Hot Chocolate, Awesome Book Giveaway

Yesterday, I had a really terrible hot chocolate. I mean awful.

It was surprising because it was at a cafe where the food is quite good. It was on the menu, for $3.50, advertised as "hot chocolate with whipped cream". Yum.

But when it was delivered, there were some things wrong.

First, there was no whipped cream.

Second, it was made with a mix. Already bad enough, but to add insult to injury, it was improperly mixed, and still lumpy.

Third, it was made with water, not milk. Gross!

So, I sent it back. They were apologetic and offered to re-make it...but I declined. And I got to thinking: what makes a really good hot chocolate? Is it the chocolate itself? The milk? The temperature? The texture? Well, kind of all of the above. For me, it's a rich drinking chocolate like I had at Cafe Angelina in Paris.

What about you? What is your ideal hot chocolate? 

Feel free to chime in, and you'll be entered to win a copy of this AWESOME book by Lara Ferroni entitled Real Snacks: Make Your Favorite Childhood Treats Without All the Junk. I'm a huge fan of Lara's work, and also love her previous recipe book, Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home.

This time, she's back with homemade versions of popular snack treats. Sweet and savory. Some examples:

I do believe I spied a unicorn on those pages! 

OK. So, to review: 

Leave a comment telling me about what makes the ideal hot chocolate, in your opinion (is it from a place? Made with heavy cream, at home? Or perhaps it's just Swiss Miss? I'm curious!). And on October 15 at 5pm EST, I will choose one lucky winner (at random) to get a copy of this great new book by Lara Ferroni. Due to the price of shipping overseas, I can only open this one to US residents.

Update on Monday, October 22, 2012 by Cakespy

UPDATE: THE WINNER!

The winner, chosen at random, was Melissa C, who said "The best hot chocolate can be found on the streets of Spain. It is served warm and has almost a pudding like consistency. It is served to accompany a very special treat: The fresh, hot and dazzling cinnamon ladden churro....."

Yum! Thanks for playing! 

Comments

[corinne]

Being at home means you can put Fluff in your hot chocolate, which is the best thing!

[Tricia]

Homemade hot chocolate like my Grandmother made. Marshmallow and whipped cream. A crisp cookie on the side. Perfect!

[Dana S]

My ideal hot chocolate is milky and creamy. I don' like it too thick, as this isn't soup, so the old Hershey's back of the box recipe is my traditional favorite!

[Dena]

I am originally from Florida, where hot chocolate weather doesn't happen very often. I am now living in Oklahoma and about to experience winter for the first time in nearly two decades. For me, hot chocolate is made better with milk (I don't really mind if the cocoa itself is a mix) but most importantly, it has to be hot chocolate weather. My birthday was earlier this week and my friend gifted me with a cozy little owl mug and a few packets of hot chocolate. I'm saving it for when the weather calls for it.

[Mariel]

Heat a cup of whole milk until hot but not boiling..then whisk in a third cup of Nutella, pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the Nutella is completely melted. Yum!

[Andrea]

I thought I knew what hot chocolate was, and then I had Max Brenner's hot chocolate. I've always been a fan of a big mug of hot chocolate (powdered) made with milk and a mountain of marshmallows, as a way to keep warm on cold nights.
Then I visited Max Brenner's restaurant at Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas, and had their Italian Hot Chocolate. It was melted milk chocolate, with vanilla cream, in a 'hug mug' designed to fit perfectly in two hands. The chocolate filled my mouth with warm chocolatey heaven, and gave me a minute of pure bliss. It took me an hour to drink it all, I wanted to savor every drop. It's incredible, and I've since fantasized about that chocolate many times. I can't wait to go back to Vegas so I can have it again!

[thepricklypinecone]

I am not a fan of hot chocolate however I absolutely loved a small chocolate shops own handmade hot chocolate that was literally melted milk chocolate with just enough cream to make it drinkable. Yum!