Mexican Hot Chocolate
2/3 cup slivered almonds
2 quarts milk
8 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 cinnamon sticks, optional
In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, stir
almonds until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add milk and chocolate to pan and stir
occasionally over medium heat just until chocolate is melted and milk is hot
(do not boil), 12 to 15 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, and ground
cinnamon; stir just until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Pour about a third of the hot milk mixture
into a blender. Holding lid down with a towel, whirl until very smooth and
frothy;
pour into a pitcher. Repeat twice to purée remaining mixture. To
serve, pour hot chocolate into cups (8 to 12 oz.) and
garnish with cinnamon sticks. Serves 8.
Coconut Eggnog
1 pt. half-and-half
4 cinnamon sticks (3 1/2 in. long)
1 tsp whole cloves
5 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
Ground cinnamon
Heat half-and-half, cinnamon sticks, and
cloves in a saucepan, stirring, until boiling. Remove from heat and let
stand for
1 hour. Strain and return to pan.
Whisk egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk
into half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until
mixture reaches 160° (don't boil). Stir in coconut milk. Let
cool, then chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
Blend half of mixture at a time in a blender
until frothy. Ladle into glasses and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Serves 12
Sleigh Driver
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 pears, chopped into bite-size pieces, divided
2 quarts apple cider
1 lemon, halved and sliced
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Combine water, sugar, ginger and 1 pear in a
large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring
occasionally.
Strain out the solids and return the mixture to the pan.
Add the remaining pears, cider, lemon and
allspice and heat over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
Add cranberries and vanilla and reduce the
heat to medium-low (the liquid should be simmering, not boiling). Let simmer
for 10 minutes more. Serve in heat-safe mugs. Serves 10
Peppermint Mocha
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp peppermint candies
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend
until smooth. Pour into a cocktail glass, add straw and serve.