How to make rich hot chocolate & bitter chocolate cream

This is the fondly remembered hot chocolate of my youth adapted for more adult tastes. Both ganache and whipped cream can be made ahead allowing the drink to be served as a decadent night-cap.

This recipe is very rich, but if you want to amplify the chocolate taste, add another ounce of chocolate. Or subtract an ounce if you want the flavor to be less bold. I recommend organic ingredients.

Lay out your ingredients and supplies.

Set up a double boiler by placing a bowl on top of a pot of water.

Be sure the water is below the level of the bowl so the steam heats the bowl without it getting too hot.

Prep your ingredients. For the chocolate ganache that flavors the whipped cream you'll need two tablespoons of the heavy cream and one ounce of bittersweet chocolate.

Add 1 ounce of the bittersweet chocolate, the brown sugar, and the corn syrup to the double boiler. The corn syrup helps stabilize the chocolate.

Let the sugar dissolve and mix the ingredients together.

Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then mix all the ingredients together with a whisk.

Next, take your mixing bowl out of the freezer. Pour in the remaining cream and whip with the whisk attachment. Freezing the bowl makes the cream whip faster.

Like this.

Next, pour in the chocolate ganache and fold in with the whisk.

Whip the cream and ganache together.

When the mixture has a whipped cream consistency, scrape it into another bowl.

And keep it refrigerated for later.

Next, turn to your hot chocolate. Recreate the double boiler and put in the remaining chocolate and brown sugar to melt.

Add the vanilla.

On the side, use a non corrosive heavy duty pan and set it to warm. Pour in one cup of milk to warm.

Stir as the chocolate melts.

Whisk together the chocolate and brown sugar until they are smooth and the chocolate is melted.

Add 4 ounces of milk, and whisk into a smooth chocolate sauce.

Mix until the cream is completely combined and the mixture is smooth.

Add 4 ounces of heavy cream.

Add the rest of the cream into the pan of warming milk.

Ladle the warm milk and cream into the chocolate, tasting occasionally to make sure the mixture is to your liking.

Whisk to combine the ingredients.

Continue adding the milk and cream.

And tasting...

Yum!

When the mix is right, to tour taste, leave the hot chocolate on the double boiler until it is heated through. Then whisk to a froth.

Prepare your serving dishes and chocolate shavings, and get the whipped cream out of the refrigerator.

You can make chocolate shavings by running a sharp knife along the back of a bar of chocolate.

Dollop a generous spoonful of whipped cream on top and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Make sure there's one to share with someone special.

If you like, you can add brandy or cognac for a more grown up beverage.

Thoroughly.