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So I think it’s only befitting we kick off 2012 The Kitchen Whisperer Countdown to Christmas with the quintessential drink… HOT CHOCOLATE! By now I’m sure you had at least 1-2 boxes of it in your house… um, why? Why buy that prepackaged, processed stuff when you can make it yourself?
Seriously, doesn’t that look so inviting? It’s just calling out your name, waiting for you to snuggle up with it. This is exactly what I did last night!
Now let me take this a step further. This “ain’t your boxed powdered crap”. Oh no, I can not do that to you. I’m going full-fledged SINFUL fudgy meltaway! Aw yeah baby… we’re going hardcore CHOCOLATE INSANITY! Oh yeah.. we’re going like this! A pan chocked full of the most amazing Hot Chocolate Fudgy blissfulness that is ever going to touch your lips!
But wait.. why stop there? These make the most cutest little Christmas gifts ever! Make a few of these up, package them in little cellophane wrappers, put in a basket with 2 coffee cups, maybe some Biscotti, a snuggle blanket and great movie. VOILA! PERFECT holiday gift that anyone would love! *Hint hint.. including yours truly!*
Now these things are so good that yes you can eat them like fudge (not that I would know this.. I’m purely guessing *wink wink*). LOL Please, I inhaled a chunk of this and went straight to chocolate heaven!
CAN YOU STAND THE CUTENESS?!??!?!?!?!?!?!
To use decorate the marshmallows, use these Food-Safe Markers!
PrintDay 24 – Countdown to Christmas Hot Chocolate Meltaways
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup bitter sweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp chocolate extract
- Wooden or cookie/lollipop sticks
- Marshmallows
- 8″x8″ pan, lined with parchment paper
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pot, heat 1/2 cup cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat just until it starts steaming, stirring periodically. You want it just quite to the point where little bubbles are forming around the edges.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add chocolate.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix the cream and chocolate just slightly for 30 seconds.
- Remove the spatula and set the pot aside to rest, untouched for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, take the pot and put it back on the stove adding the remaining 1/4 cup cream, at medium-low heat and stir gently with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and shiny. Do not whip it as you do not want to incorporate air in it. The mixture will be very thick and dull at first. Don’t worry as it heats up and you whisk, it will become shiny and smooth.
- Working fast (as the mixture is thick) put the chocolate into prepared pan and spread chocolate as level as you possibly can. Using an offset metal spatula works well here.
- Let sit overnight uncovered (at least 12 hours).
- Remove chocolate from pan by lifting up using the parchment paper sides.
- Place top side down and proceed to cut into 1×1” squares. You can also use metal cookie cutters or biscuit cutters as well. To make them cut easier, run your knife or cookie cutter under hot water. Wipe the water off and then cut.
- To make them fancy schmancy skewer them on a lollipop stick with a marshmallow on top.
Notes
For Hot Chocolate
Place 1 block of the hot chocolate meltaway into a 6-8 ounces of hot milk.
Allow to sit for 30 seconds and then stir until fully dissolved.
To decorate marshmallows, you want to buy Food-Safe Markers that are food safe.
See all Countdown to Christmas 2012 recipes here
This reminds me of a ganache, except for the sweetened condensed milk part. Could I use ganache instead? I don’t like sweetened condensed milk…
Hi Brenda,
It looks like ganache but it’s not close to it at all. When it hardens it gets super firm. It will dry out if left uncovered.
I would not recommend using it at all.
You could go with making your substitute for it with the following:
1 3/4 cup whole milk
2/3 cup white sugar
3 Tbl butter
1 tsp vanilla
1. Mix sugar and milk together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Stirring often, bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat.
3. As soon as steam starts lifting off the milk, lower the heat even further, and when the sugar is entirely dissolved, put the heat as low as it can go. The goal is to reduce it by approximately half. It takes about 2 hours at very low heat to reduce to one cup of liquid. You could speed it up a bit if you watch carefully and stir often.
4. Once reduced whisk in the butter and vanilla.
5. The recipe is equivalent to about one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk.
Let me know if that helps!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★
OMG These look delicious!!!!! Heck just the chocolate in the pan looks good!! I just love reading all your articles!! Merry Christmas to you and your Family!!
★★★★★
Hey Julie 🙂
Well thank you! You have GOT to make these! Seriously, if for nothing but eating it straight out of the pan (not that I would know anything about that.. Oh look! SQUIRREL!) LOL
Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★