Warm up with an energizing cup of orange hot chocolate

The other day I was perusing the Mohonk Mountain House website, pouring over the Hudson Valley resort’s menus for a little armchair vacation and I have not stopped thinking about their orange hot chocolate. Dallas is having record-breaking winter weather this week so I decided to warm up with a mug of orange hot chocolate inspired by a Mohonk cocktail! The website describes this drink as: “Grand Marnier, Orange Bitters, Hot Chocolate, Whipped Cream, Orange Peel.” I normally love whipped cream on hot chocolate but I still have my fabulous homemade marshmallows on hand so I decided to use those instead.

Unlike my favorite Hot Cocoa, this is true hot chocolate. You could use chocolate chips, but baking chocolate melts so much silkier so if you have a bar on hand, use that! A bit of sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt is all you need for classic hot chocolate. I then added a bit of Grand Marnier and a shake of bitters for a delicious and soothing 5 o’clock cup of hot chocolate. Delicious! Someday I’ll visit Mohonk but in the meantime, I’m delighted to have a taste of it.

Orange Hot Chocolate
Serves 1 (easily doubles)
1 cup milk
1 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
Pinch cinnamon
1/2-1 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
Dash Angostura orange bitters
Serving suggestion: whipped cream or homemade marshmallows, orange peel, shaved chocolate

1. Heat milk in a small sauce pan on the stove. Whisk in chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Keep whisking until chocolate is melted and drink is warmed to your liking.
2. Turn off heat and whisk in Grand Marnier (I just did half an ounce but you might like a splash more!).
3. Pour into a mug, add a dash of bitters, and top with whipped cream or marshmallows. Cut a piece off of the end of an orange and rub the peel on the rim of the glass. Garnish with the peel and some shaved chocolate. Serve immediately.

Larger batch proportions:
Serves 4
4 cups milk
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (1 Ghirardelli bar)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
4 pinches salt
4 shakes cinnamon
2-4 oz Grand Marnier
4 dashes Angostura orange bitters

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Stay warm,

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