French Cocoa and more......

Warm up this winter with a rich, steaming cup of holiday cheer. Whether you're  making French Cocoa or  luxurious hot chocolate with melted chocolate bars, all these delicious beverage recipes will put smiles on the faces of everyone coming in from the cold.

French Cocoa
4 or 5 - 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. water
2 c. whipping cream
Bring chocolate, sugar and water to a rolling boil.  While stirring boil for 3 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.  Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  (If the chocolate is too solid to fold in the whipped cream, stir 1/4 c. of whipped cream into the chocolate and stir well, fold in the remaining whipped cream.)  Store in refrigerator in a qt. jar.  To use:  Microwave milk in a mug for 1 minute.  Stir in 2 to 3 spoonfuls of cocoa mix, to desired taste.  May need to microwave 15 to 30 seconds more. 
This one is YUMMY!!  I have drank most of one whole batch all by myself!!!

Luscious Hot Chocolate
1 c. milk
1 c. half and half
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 t. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
Heat milk, half and half, both chocolates, and sugar in a saucepan on medium-low heat until chocolates melt and sugar dissolves. Pour half of the mixture into a blender and mix until frothy. Return to the saucepan and add vanilla. Stir briefly and serve.

Aztec Hot Chocolate
2 c. milk
4 squares baker’s chocolate
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. nutmeg
Break chocolate squares and melt in a saucepan with the milk. Do not boil. Whisk until foamy. Pour into mugs. In a separate bowl, combine all spices. Mix 1/2 tsp of blended spices in each mug, adding more as desired.

Raspberry Hot Chocolate
2 c. cream
1 c. milk
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 T. butter
1 c. raspberries
whipped cream
In saucepan combine cream, milk, and sugar until hot, but do not boil. Add chocolate and butter and reduce heat to simmer. Stir until chocolate is melted. Puree 1 cup raspberries and pour into the mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Brown Sugar Hot Cocoa
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/3 c. water
4 c. milk
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/8 t. salt
Melt chocolate and water together in a double boiler. Slowly stir in milk, sugar, and salt. Whisk until well blended.

Old-fashioned Hot Cocoa with Homemade Marshmallows
Old-fashioned Hot Cocoa
3 T. cocoa 
1/4 c. sugar
4 c. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
Combine sugar and cocoa powder in small bowl. Heat milk in saucepan to scalding. Stir 1/3 cup hot milk into cocoa-sugar mixture, and then pour back into the saucepan. Stir until blended, then add vanilla and garnish with homemade marshmallows.
Homemade Marshmallows
3 T. powdered gelatin
2 c. cold water
2 c. sugar
2 egg whites
2 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
butter
In a medium saucepan soak gelatin in the cold water for approximately 10 minutes. When gelatin has softened, add the regular sugar and gently dissolve over low heat. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and then fold in 2 cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar. Put mixer on low speed and slowly add cooled gelatin mixture. Increase the speed and beat until white and thick, and the mixture is approximately double in size. Line a deep 8×8-inch baking dish with foil, grease slightly with butter, and coat with part of the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Pour marshmallow mixture in and top with more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Let sit for at least 3 hours. The marshmallow should be light and spongy when ready.
Loosen marshmallow from edges of tray and invert onto large cutting board. Slowly remove foil and use a large knife to cut the marshmallows into cubes. Dredge each piece in confectioners’ sugar.

White Peppermint Hot Chocolate
6 hard peppermint candies, finely crushed
2/3 c. whipping cream
3 1/2 c. milk
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1/2 t. peppermint extract
Beat whipping cream with crushed candies until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate for at least one hour. In the meantime, heat milk on medium-low heat. Mix in chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add peppermint extract and stir thoroughly. Pour into cups and top with peppermint whipped cream mixture.

Milk Chocolate and Orange Cocoa
1/3 c. whipping cream, chilled
1 t. brown sugar
4 1/2 c. milk
zest from 4 large oranges
2 T. cocoa 
9 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
Whip cream with brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate. Mix milk with zest from oranges in a saucepan, heating to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain zest from the mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Stir in cocoa powder and chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream mixture.

Holiday Eggnog
12 eggs

1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 quarts milk, divided
2 T. pure vanilla
1 t. ground nutmeg
2 c. heavy whipping cream
Additional nutmeg, optional
In a heavy 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt. Gradually add 1 qt. of milk. Cook and stir over low heat until a thermometer reads 160°-170°, about 30-35 minutes. Pour into a large heat proof bowl; stir in vanilla, nutmeg and remaining milk. Place bowl in an ice-water bath, stirring frequently until mixture is cool. If mixture separates, process in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, beat cream in a bowl on high until soft peaks form; whisk gently into cooled milk mixture. Pour into a chilled 5-qt. punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired. Yield: 3-1/2 quarts.
Will keep in the refrigerator for several days in covered container. Whisk or shake before serving.

Cold Chocolate Eggnog
4 eggs, separated
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. pure vanilla
2 c. milk
1/8 t. salt
1 1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped to soft-peak stage
1/3 c. grated semisweet chocolate
This recipe is served cold. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until thick and smooth. Slowly stir in milk, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove just before serving.
Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, then gently fold in egg whites. Serve immediately, garnished with grated chocolate.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
4 squares baker’s chocolate
2 c. milk
2 T. peanut butter
marshmallows
Break chocolate squares and melt in a saucepan with milk. Do not boil. Stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Pour into mugs and garnish with marshmallows.
Special touches:
If you want an extra-rich drink, add a teaspoon of  butter to the bottom of each cup before you pour in the drink.  I love adding the little vanilla flavored snowman marshmallows too!!!
Marshmallows are great, but  whipped cream is even better.  Top off the whipped cream with shaved chocolate, crushed peppermint, colored sprinkles or a drizzle of chocolate or butterscotch syrup. Candy sticks make the best stirrers, try peppermint, butterscotch, or raspberry candy canes.
For the more sophisticated, add a rim of flavor to your cups. Rub the cup rim with a slice of citrus, then dip in crushed peppermint candy, or colored sugar  or powdered chocolate drink mix.

Eggnogg French Toast

For some reason I am drawn to anything eggnog this year.  So here is one more eggnog recipe to try.

Eggnog French Toast
Butter a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet).  Arrange 8 thick slices of bread on pan. 
In bowl, whisk together:
2 c. eggnog
2 large eggs
Pour over bread to soak.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until browned.

Holiday Trifle with Eggnog

need to finish off that carton of eggnog??  try this one....

Holiday Trifle
Place in large bowl:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream, Beat until stiff peaks form
Fold in:
1/3 c. eggnogg
Cut into 1/2 inch cubes:
10 inch pound cake
Layer in 4 qt. trifle bowl: 
1/2 of cake
1/3 c. eggnogg
1/2 of 12 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 of cream mixture. 
Repeat layers.
Top with 1/2 c. sliced toasted almonds. 
8 to 10 servings

Eggnog Cookies and Eggnog Bread.....

My friend, Randi mentioned on FB that she was going to be making Eggnog Cookies to send to her son in Germany.  And I just keep thinking about how good they must be.  So I found me a recipe and I'm gonna try them out......and guess what?? Randi came today  ( Dec. 6) for lunch and brought me some of her cookies and the recipe and it is pretty much the same recipe I found online....

EGGNOG COOKIES
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg (Randi's calls for 1 T. fresh nutmeg but she didn't have any -used 1 1/4 t. ground nutmeg)
1 1/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. salted butter, softened
1/2 c. eggnog
1 t. pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Randi's added 1-2 tsp rum extract (but the recipe says is optional)

Glaze

2 c. powdered sugar
4 T. eggnog
nutmeg
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix well with wire whisk and set aside.  Cream sugar and butter with electric mixer until forms a grainy paste.  Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth.  Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined -- do not over mix!
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets -- 1 " apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown -- transfer immediately to a flat surface to cool.
Combine powdered sugar and eggnog. Drizzle over cookies. Before glaze dries sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon over each cookie.

Makes about 30 cookies.

HINTS: 
If you like nutmeg, cinnamon, and egg nog, you'll love these.  If you don't like them crunchy, substitute brown sugar for all or half of the white sugar; they'll stay soft.
I dusted the top w/ a mixture of nutmeg,cinnamon and powdered sugar instead of glaze.

Randi also sent me this recipe that she made to use up her carton of eggnog.

Eggnog Bread
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. eggnog
1/2 c. melted butter
1 t. vanilla (or eggnog extract if you have)
1/2 t. rum extract (optional)
Icing
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. vanilla extract
2-3 t. eggnog
dash nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom & 1/2 inch up sides of 9x5x3 loaf pan
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt & nutmeg. Make a well in center & set aside
combine eggs, sugar, eggnog, melted butter, vanilla & rum extract (if using). Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just moistened (batter will be lumpy)
Spoon batter into pan. Bake 40-50 minutes (mine took closer to 65). Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into center & should come out clean. Cool pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan & let cook completely on rack
Prepare icing. Stir just enough eggnog in to reach drizzle consistency. Drizzle cooled loaf with icing. Sprinkle just a bit of nutmeg over top. Let icing set completely before wrapping