Today the Sunday Funday group is celebrating with a virtual birthday potluck for one of the group's organizers. Thanks to Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Sue of Palatable Pastime, Rebekah of Making Miracles, and Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for coordinating this low-stress group.
This week I am hosting and asked everyone to celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day. I wrote: "January 31st is National Hot Chocolate Day. Let's share our
favorite versions of this delicious drink, recipes for any extra special
touches (thinking homemade marshmallows!), or a food that has all of the
trappings of hot chocolate (maybe chocolate cake with torched marshmallows on
top). Okay, I clearly have marshmallows on the mind. Join me." Here's the line-up...
- 5 Minute Chilli Cinnamon Hot Chocolate from Sizzling Tastebuds
- Cheese in Your Hot Chocolate? Yep. Chocolate con Queso from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Chocolat Chaud - French Hot Chocolate from Food Lust People Love
- Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Hot Chocolate Cookies from Making Miracles
- Mexican Hot Chocolate from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Nutella Hot Chocolate from Sneha's Recipe
- Salted Caramel Espresso Hot Cocoa (Salted Caramel Mocha) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Spicy Hot Chocolate from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen
Hot Chocolate Tasting
Before I decided on what I was going to share, we did a hot chocolate tasting with recipes from around the world. A Canadian version (photograph above, left) was sweetened with maple syrup and served with whipped cream; an American standard was hot chocolate with marshmallows (photograph above, right).
Only Jake objected to the Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style which has rosewater in it. D, R, and I enjoyed the heavily floral concoction. But, in the end, the hot chocolate I decided to share was a drink from Columbia: Chocolate con Queso.
Chocolate con Queso
Chocolate con Queso is an authentic Colombian hot chocolate served with cheese cubes. Yes, really. Cheese. It sounds odd to American ears, but it's a sweet, rich drink with a salty surprise. I read to get the saltiest, squeakiest cheese you can. I opted for a goat milk mozzarella. It was delicious!
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 5 cloves
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup (use less or more, depending on personal preference)
- 4 ounces cheese, such as halloumi or mozzarella (I used a goat milk mozarella
- Also needed: pot, molinillo or whisk
Procedure
Pour the milk into a pot. Add in the cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce heat to a simmer and add in the chocolate. Use a whisk or a molinillo to mix the chocolate and make the chocolate frothy.
After I ate the cubes in the bottom, I sliced off more cheese and dipped it into the chocolate. Delicious!
Happy National Hot Chocolate Day! I hope you are inspired to enjoy your favorite version to celebrate or try one of the versions offered by the #SundayFunday group. That's a wrap. We'll be back next week as we share hot breakfast ideas with Mayuri of Mayuri's Jikoni leading the discussion. Stay tuned...
We used to have a cheese store in the tourist town of Frankenmuth that sold chocolate cheese so this is not a far reach for me. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteChocolate cheese? That sounds intriguing!
DeleteThat is totally amazing Camilla... when I first read the title I was expecting cream cheese or something similar. But halloumi or mozzarella...that is wow. Music to my ears as I love both chocolate and cheese.
ReplyDeleteWow! adding cheese to hot chocolate is definitely new to me. I was definitely not expecting goat milk mozzarella. Wow! I must try making it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove the addition of cinnamon and cheese! Sounds so decadent.
ReplyDeletewho would have thought choco n cheese paired in a hot chocolate drink? Sounds and looks delish!
ReplyDelete