Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate

For over two years, I've followed a nifty blog called, She's In The Kitchen, written by Katrina Hall, a marvelous cook who consistently inspires me. She recently posted a gorgeous recipe for her homemade hot chocolate. I knew immediately I was going to make it, I just wasn't sure when. Well, the time was finally right and I made Katrina's silky, rich hot chocolate. Like a decadent dessert, it was everything I thought it would be ... and more! How often does that happen?

Try serving your hot chocolate for Sunday breakfast, in a bowl, so you can dip your toasted bread into it, a delicious way to start the day!

To make two or three cups of Katrina's hot chocolate:

4 ounces finely chopped Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
another 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 T. Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
homemade unsweetened whipped cream (optional)

Place chopped chocolate in a microwave safe china bowl.
Heat the 1/2 cup of cream to a boil, and pour over chopped chocolate.
Stir until chocolate and cream are fully melted together.
In a pan, heat the milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, then whisk in the unsweetened cocoa powder.
Add the melted chocolate/cream to the milk mixture, stir, and serve in a prewarmed cup, with a little dish of whipped cream on the side .

If you need to reheat, pop into microwave before serving.