Well for a winter that was predicted to be one of the snowiest on record here in the Midwest, they sure have disappointed those of us who like the snow! Friday we had only the second major storm of the season which dropped about 6 inches by my house. Just enough to make things look pretty, but not enough to cancel school, which always disappoints my teacher husband. Yes, the teachers hope for snow days just as much as the kids do!
I made these cocoa blocks as part of some holiday gifts, but we still had a couple in the refrigerator left over to enjoy. We were supposed to attend a work holiday party Friday evening, but got snowed in instead. Good thing we had this hot cocoa on hand to enjoy while we watched the snow fall!
Hot Chocolate Blocks, adapted from King Arthur Flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
- 3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped chocolate bars or chips)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
- lollipop sticks
Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and allow it to gently melt.
After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny. Add a few drops of flavoring oil if you like; hazelnut, coffee, or vanilla are popular flavors.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired. Set aside overnight to slowly set up.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface.
Slice into 1 ¼” cubes. Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.
Put a stick into the center of each block.
Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store. Or you can use little gift bags or lollipop bags (Wilton makes some) to wrap and give as gifts.
To serve, heat a mug of milk until steaming hot. Then stir the chocolate around until melted. Make sure the milk is hot, otherwise the chocolate won’t melt all the way. The stirring action will cool it down enough to drink.
