Recipe: Classic Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Mix with Variations

CLASSIC HOT COCOA AND CHOCOLATE MIX

"This is a hybrid, a hot cocoa with the additional flavor boost of chocolate chips. Make up a batch of this mix and have it handy and you'll never buy store-bought mix again."

1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup nonfat dry powdered milk
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk, chocolate chips and salt in a large bowl. Mix well, then transfer to a 1-quart airtight container.

TO MAKE HOT COCOA:
Spoon 1/3 cup of the mix into a mug and pour 1 cup boiling water over it. Stir well and serve.

VARIATIONS:

MOCHA COCOA MIX:
Follow the above recipe but add 1/3 to 1/2 cup instant coffee or espresso powder, depending on how much coffee flavor is desired.

MEXICAN COCOA MIX:
Follow the above recipe but substitute light brown sugar for the white sugar and 3 ounces chopped Mexican chocolate for the chips, and add 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. To serve, garnish each cup with a cinnamon stick. Mexican chocolate is available at almost all of the many Hispanic markets in Winston-Salem and other areas.

PEPPERMINT STICK COCOA MIX:
Follow the above recipe but substitute 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate for the chips and add 1/8 cup crushed peppermint stick candy. To serve, garnish each cup with a peppermint stick.

Makes 12 servings
Adapted from source: Hot Chocolate by Fred Thompson