Sunday afternoon treat: hot chocolate recipe, plus a bonus!

I saw a recipe for homemade chocolate syrup a while ago and it's been bouncing around in my mind as something I'd like to try. Today seemed like the perfect day to give it a try -- laid back, cold outside, inside with puppies curled up in front of the fireplace, both HH and I are working at our respective desks. So I gave it a try.

Here's the recipe:

1 c. water (I used about 3/4 c. water and 1/4 c. milk to make it a little richer)
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the water and sugar together in a pan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cocoa powder and salt and simmer for around 3 minutes (be careful -- the bottom seems like it will burn easily, so turn down the heat and stir constantly). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Now for the BONUS: HH dipped his finger in the syrup and declared it quite delicious, but I decided to see if I could push it over the top. We stocked up our liquor cabinet over the holidays and then didn't use much of it, so I googled "vanilla vodka and hot chocolate." I came up with this recipe for Moscow Hot Chocolate, and adjusted it as follows:

1 oz vanilla vodka
1/2 oz amaretto
3/4 c milk
chocolate syrup (probably 1/4-1/3 cup, or even more!)

Heat the milk; whisk in the chocolate syrup to taste. I added more than I would have for plain hot cocoa since I knew I'd be "watering down" the chocolate taste a little with the alcohols. Add the liquors. Now to really push it over the edge, I topped it with a little whipped cream that I'd flavored with a generous dash of vanilla and powdered sugar. Delicious!

"Oooh, that is really good!" ~HH

Honestly? I don't think you should have to wait for a cold, lazy Sunday afternoon to give this a try. (oh, and you can also use the chocolate syrup in chocolate milk, on top of icecream, etc, etc)