Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Mix
Sitting on the balcony on a foggy, cold winter night there is nothing finer than a cup of hot chocolate and warm cookies while curled up under a thick blanket. In the process of watching my carb and sugar intake I miss the most the lovely smooth taste of that hot chocolate during the winter. Not any more. I finally found a sturdy combination of sweetener and cocoa that satisfies my hot chocolate craving for being not to sharp or too sweet, while avoiding a total diet ruination. I got the idea here, but tweaked it. The mix can go with whole milk for Little B, with coconut milk for Big D, or combine water and heavy cream for my favorite version. It is rich and smooth and I don’t even miss the marshmallows. I occasionally squirt a bit of peppermint whipped cream on top, but it is not really needed. Can you tell I am excited?! Try these yummy cookies along with it – they go great dipped in the cocoa! Making the mix also gave me an excuse for using a silly storage set up I saw on Pinterest – the top of a grated cheese container fits on a one-pint canning jar. How cool is that?! It keeps the mix dry and makes it easy to measure. The instructions on the side are convenient and serve as a gentle reminder about how to get the right proportions. Yes, I have a label machine that Big D laughs about…mostly I have it because of a kid in preschool – her name in permanent marker just isn’t right sometimes. Get it? Write…right. Okay, I will stop.
Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Mix
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp pure stevia powder (equivalent to 1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
For making a drink pick one of the following liquid combinations:
1 cup milk, or
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, or
1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup heavy cream, or
1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup coconut milk
In blender add cocoa powder, stevia, salt and nutmeg. Blend on high until sweeteners and cocoa are well combined. Store in airtight container at room temperature. For a cup of hot chocolate you will need 1 cup of liquid. I have experimented with the different liquid combinations listed above. To make cocoa combine 1 Tablespoon of cocoa mix with 1/2 cup of liquid until dissolved. Add the additional 1/2 cup of liquid and stir. Heat for 60-90 seconds until hot. Stir one more time. Enjoy!