Spicy Moroccan Hot Chocolate [Holiday Recipe Exchange]

Spicy hot chocolate tastes better in china tea cups. After 10 years of not using, we now use china every day, just because!

After a cold snap the end of September, during which I too hastily put away all kids’ short-sleeved-attire, the days here in Chicago have turned warmish. My poor children are roasting; requests for “a cool drink of water” are frequent.

But the nights are still chilly. And once my three young ones are in bed, I breathe a sigh of relief, and generally sit down to enjoy something indulgent. It is often chocolate.

I developed this hot chocolate recipe last winter. But this autumn, I’ve been testing a few Moroccan recipes, so I changed it up a bit. I thought it might be a yummy one to enter in the  My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Exchange sponsored by Scharffen Berger. It’s a little exotic and is definitely indulgent-tasting, but of course dark chocolate is lower in calories than many desserts. And since this is made with low-fat milk, it can and should be enjoyed often! (No I usually don’t whip up a batch of whipped cream just for myself – but I suggest you do so if you serve it to guests…or kids!)

Spicy Moroccan Hot Chocolate

3 cups lowfat milk

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom)

3-inch piece orange peel, peeled with vegetable peeler

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring milk to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, orange peel.  Steep for 15 minutes. Strain out spices. Add chocolate to milk and reheat to a very low heat, stirring occasionally fro 3-5 minutes until chocolate melts. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.  Serve; garnish with cinnamon sticks, whipped cream and zest of orange peel, if desired.