Vermont Hot Chocolate

For the whole 25+ years of our marriage, Dave has been telling me about “The Camp” on Lake Champlain. It’s a cabin that’s been in his family for 100 years, and is even now occupied by his Aunt Jean and Uncle Bob. Dave has told so many stories about The Camp that it feels familiar to me, though I’ve never been anywhere near Vermont.

I’ve asked him many times when we’re going to take a trip back there, but his answer is always the same: “We’d need a whole month.” I’m not sure when we’ll find a month to sit in the cabin and stare at Lake Champlain. Till then, I will have to comfort myself with a cup of what I picture myself making some wintry day when I finally get there: maple hot chocolate.

The first version I found of this cocoa was from a newspaper recipe called, “New England Hot Chocolate.” But since this is Dave’s favorite cocoa, and I’ve tweaked it a bunch, I’ve changed my version to this:

Vermont Hot Chocolate

• 2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate plus 1/4 cup sugar OR 2 oz 70% dark chocolate (no need for sugar if you use dark chocolate)
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 4 cups milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1-2 TBSP maple syrup (real is by far the best)

Mix the first three ingredients in a saucepan until the chocolate has melted.

Add the milk, vanilla and marshmallows and cook until heated through.

Add 1 TBSP maple syrup and taste; add a second TBSP if you think it needs it.

Pour into mugs and top with more marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream (which is far, far better if you ask me 🙂 )

Tera loves when I come at her with the camera first thing in the morning …