Todays post is brought to you by Cat Morrow from Neo-homesteading. I stumbled upon her website one day, saw her photos and knew I had to have her guest post. She hit a home run with this one. Hot Chocolate and alcohol, SERIOUSLY, Woot woot. Well go check out her site and you can follow her on all her social media channels linked on the bottom of the post. Any questions about this recipe can be left in the comments or ask her on her Facebook page and she will gladly respond.
With Valentine’s day coming up many people are planning on sweet indulgences for the special occasion. In my house chocolate is an M-V-P. I will admit I am not near as infatuated with it as my husband or youngest son, but I can really appreciate well made chocolate. Following any unprocessed diet can leave you in the chocolate isle just ready to cry… well that’s if you have the inner fat kid like I do. I really dislike unnecessary additives in any food but corn and soy are particularly annoying when it comes to chocolate shopping. Even the finest brands use soy emulsifiers and corn syrup. What if you are looking for white chocolate? Forget it!
With chilly winter weather lurking, hot beverages are a must have. A cup of hot cocoa is always soothing, it’s like a big hug in a cup! Like every other kid in the universe my kids love hot chocolate after a romp in the snow. Today I’m sharing a hot chocolate duo, these two great recipes are better suited for the big kids in your life.
Be Sure to Sweeten these recipes to your own tastes. I provided measurements for the very bare minimum. Use a sweetener alternative if you’d like. Use canned (Native Forest) or homemade coconut milk for the best results, it has the best consistency and richness.
Zesty White Chocolate & Tangerine Hot Chocolate
Finding white chocolate without soy is impossible. I have not loved white chocolate in the past however, I have realized that prepared just the right way it can be great. For me the key is to not think of it as “chocolate” but as a totally different creature. This recipe uses raw organic cocoa butter which can be purchased at a really well stocked grocer or online.
Seductive Hot Chocolate with Merlot and Cayenne
This hot chocolate is a hybrid of Mexican hot chocolate and chocolate pudding. When I make the man folk pudding I just melt chocolate chips in a pot with coconut milk. Adding a touch of cayenne and merlot bring out the savory qualities of chocolate, and make it boozy too… Mmm boozy. I think the savory qualities of chocolate are under appreciated, with that said this recipe is especially bitter without added sweetener. Use soy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life) instead of pure chocolate or add more honey to sweeten it as you like.
Ingredients
Method
- Place a medium sized sauce pot onto medium heat.
- Warm Coconut milk to a simmer. (Not quite boiling)
- Remove from heat
- Add chocolate and whisk until smooth
- Add honey, vanilla sea salt, cloves and cayenne
- While warm but not boiling add Merlot , add additional sweetener to taste
- Serve warm, garnish with chocolate shavings or even bacon salt if you'd like.
Notes
Cat Morrow from Neo-Homesteading is a twenty something stay at home, homeschooling mother of two boys. Neo-Homesteading shares a realistic view of a family living as self-sufficiently and eco-friendly as possible. Real food and homemade wine are on the table, dishes are in the sink and this is the view from a humble chaotic home in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania.
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Chocolate Bacon Almond Butter Bananas
