Keeping warm in these cold, cold months!

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry for the post delay...I've been detoxing from the holidays. I feel like I've gained an elephant's worth of pounds! So to bring us rolling into the new year, I'm giving you a couple of fun tidbits. First, Food & Wine has a list of the best hot chocolate in the U.S. and how could I not share that with my dessert-loving readers? Here's the list: Best Hot Chocolate in the U.S.!

Does it make you want to brew up your own hot chocolate? Never fear, I've got the cure for that too! Here are a few recipes to keep you sweet and warm!

For the over 21 crowd:

Double-Chocolate Hot Chocolate
Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, Baked

Ingredients

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Jack Daniel's whiskey (optional)
• Marshmallows, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate with the milk chocolate. Add the boiling water and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk the chocolate mixture until it is smooth.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and heavy cream just to a simmer. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk over moderate heat until hot. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the whiskey. Pour the hot chocolate into demitasse cups or small mugs, garnish with marshmallows and serve.

For the chai-lovers:

Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate

Bon Appetit, February 2010

Ingredients

• 4 cups low-fat (1%) milk
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 10 cardamom pods, coarsely cracked
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice, cracked
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
• 6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger plus 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
• 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and ginger slices in medium saucepan. Bring almost to simmer, whisking frequently. Remove from heat; cover and steep 10 minutes. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
2. Meanwhile, whisk cream, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, grated ginger, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in medium bowl to peaks.
3. Strain hot chocolate. Ladle into 6 mugs. Top each with dollop of ginger cream.

For those who crave the cold in the cold:

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

Sweet Serendipity, Stephen Bruce

Ingredients

6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates

2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

3 cups ice

Whipped cream

Chocolate shavings

Directions

1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. 
2. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!

Happy baking!