Peppermint Hot Chocolate, 2 takes. Fun Food Friday!

Julia and 2 mugs of Hot Chocolate
One for you and one for me! Yummy.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate seems to be all the rage this year, from DD and McDonals to gourmet coffee shops! Julia jumps in and offers 2 varieties.

#1 Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

Prep Time: 8 mins  Cook Time: 8 mins  Total Time: 16 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 cup(s) milk, lowfat (1%)
  • 7 piece(s) peppermint candies
  • 1/2 cup(s) chocolate chips, white (We image dark would be fine too)
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 4 piece(s) peppermint candies
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup, light-colored (or Agave syrup?)
  • 6 tablespoon whipped dessert topping, fat-free (or not)

Preparation

1. Cook milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until warm (do not boil). Add 7 crushed peppermint candies, stirring until candies dissolve. Add white chocolate, stirring with a whisk until chocolate melts. Cook until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan (do not boil), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in extract.

2. Coarsely crush 2 peppermint candies; set aside. Finely crush remaining 2 peppermint candies. Coat rims of 6 mugs with corn syrup. Place 2 finely crushed peppermint candies in a saucer; dip rim of each mug in candies to coat. 3. Pour 2/3 cup hot chocolate into each mug; top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping. Sprinkle 2 coarsely crushed candies evenly over topping.

Yield: 6 servings.Nutritional Info (Per serving):  Calories: 199, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 105mg, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Total Fat: 6.5g, Carbs: 29.5g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Protein: 6g   Carb Choices: 2   Thanks to EveryDay Health for that one.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-recipe/peppermint-white-hot-chocolate.aspx

Now we’re talking holiday Cheer!

#2 Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps 
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello @ Foodnetwork.com
Prep Time: 5 min    Cook Time:5 mi     Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients

1 quart milk (skim, 2 percent or whole) or half-and-half
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (recommended: Scharffenberger)
9 ounces peppermint schnapps
Whipped cream, for serving
6 peppermint sticks, for serving

  • Directions
  • Heat 1 cup of the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate, stirring constantly, until melted. When the chocolate has melted, increase heat to medium and add the remainder of the milk while whisking rapidly. Do not allow to boil.
  • Serve in small cups fortified with a jigger (1 1/2 ounces) of peppermint schnapps and a dollop of whipped cream. Add a peppermint stick to stir.  If transporting in a thermos, heat thermos up with hot water to get it warm for 1 minute. Pour water out and fill with hot chocolate.

YUM! YUM! YUMMY!

OH – We almost forgot….WEDDING BELLS!  A Huge Congratulations to Mark and Margaret today! The whole gang wishes you guys ALL the best and all the beauties possible! ♥♥♥♥♥♥ (FYI, Mark,the orange is for you!)