Recipe: Hershey's Hot Cocoa with 7 Variations

HERSHEY'S HOT COCOA

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
whipped cream or miniature marshmallows (optional, for serving)

In medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa powder, and salt; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add milk; heat to serving temperature, stirring constnatly. DO NOT BOIL.

Remove from heat, add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy.

Serve topped with marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

VARIATIONS:

SPICED COCOA:
Add 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 reaspoon ground nutmeg with vanilla. Serve with cinnamon stick, if desired.

MINT COCOA:
Add 1/2 teaspoon mint extract or 3 tablespoons crushed hard peppermint candy or 2 to 3 tablespoons white creme de menthe with vanilla. Serve with peppermint candy stick, if desired.

CITRUS COCOA:
Add 1/2 teaspoon orange extract or 2 to 3 tablespoons orange liquer with vanilla.

SWISS MOCHA:
Add 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee with vanilla.

CANADIAN COCOA:
Add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract with vanilla.

COCOA AU LAIT:
Omit marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream. Spoon 2 tablespoons softened vanilla ice cream on top of each cup of cocoa at serving time.

SLIM-TRIM COCOA:
Omit sugar. Substitute skim milk for milk. Proceed as above. Stir in sugar substitute with sweetening equivalence of 1/2 cup of sugar with vanilla.

Servings: 5
Source: Hershey's 100th Anniversary Cookbook