I truly believe that a well-made hot chocolate is one of life's greatest pleasures. (And a crappily made one is one of life's greatest disappointments. Here's lookin' at you, Swiss Miss!)
In order to make this properly, you'll need a batch of The Best Chocolate Ganache Ever.
But if you don't have that handy (or don't feel like making it) I've got a backup option for you, not to worry!
1-2 Tablespoons of The Best Chocolate Ganache Ever OR Merckens Oasis Dark Chocolate melting wafers* (or dark or semisweet chocolate bar of choice, chopped. Only use chips as a last resort because they don’t melt as nicely.) The amount of chocolate you use is totally up to your taste. Start with 1 spoonful and keep adding and stirring til you're happy!
1 mug, milk of choice. (I prefer whole milk, you do you.)
Salt to taste
Optional extras: whipped cream or marshmallows to go on top, cinnamon sticks or candycanes to float in the mug.
Heat milk til steaming. (You can do this on the stove or in the microwave.)
Remove milk from heat and add Ganache or chocolate, whichever you're using. Let sit for 30 seconds to a minute, so the milk has time to heat up the chocolate.
Whisk or stir until completely smooth.
Add salt if needed, and any optional extras if using.
Sip and smlie - your day just got a whole lot better!
Notes!
Make it a Mocha! Add this to your favorite coffee or espresso for the best mocha you've ever had! With drip coffee, I like to do 1/2 black coffee and 1/2 hot chocolate. But play with it and see what floats your boat!
On Cinnamon: I highly recommend placing a whole cinnamon stick in your cup rather than dusting it with powdered cinnamon. It flavors the drink beautifully without any weird textural side effects, while powdered cinnamon will never properly combine with the drink. It'll just float on top in an unattractive film and the flavor ratio won't be quite right.
*These are the magical chocolates that we always served at the studio!