Hot Cocoa Days

When you step inside your favorite Central Avenue coffee shop to escape the wintry cold, do you order a hot cocoa or hot chocolate? They are actually not the same.

Whisps of steam rising from the pot, a real hot cocoa is the stuff snow days were made of…back in the days when there were snow days! One pot would supply the family with each one clutching their mug to defrost their thawing hands. Red noses and rosy cheeks would peek out between sips, their soggy mittens left by the radiator to dry after cold afternoon play. Those were the “hot cocoa days.” Simple ingredients like cocoa, sugar, a little water to dissolve, and plenty of milk. Maybe a splash of vanilla for extra flavor. Whipped cream or marshmallows if you wanted to be really fancy. Humble and homey, a drink that warmed the bones. On cold winter nights, it is still something that no one refuses.

I had never encountered a true European “hot chocolate” until I visited Switzerland about twenty years ago. Instead of complimentary coffee and tea awaiting guests in the hotel lobby, there was a large urn with hot water and an elaborate display of “melting chocolates.” White or dark, roughly chopped, and pure enough to melt smoothly into water. Essentially, it was liquified chocolate, without anything else to mask or adulterate the pure, complex flavors. Leave it to the Swiss—they know how to do chocolate. Not too sweet, not too milky.

The American palate, heavily impacted by milk chocolate manufacturers like Hershey, have come to expect sweet and creamy tastes. “A lot of times people will do equal parts sugar and cocoa, but that seems really sweet to me,” explains Alice Medrich, a chocolate expert and author. She advises people to use good quality cocoa and treat it the way we do a cup of coffee, adding sugar to taste. That said, Hershey’s classic hot cocoa recipe uses an almost 2:1 ratio of sugar to cocoa, so it’s no wonder why we love it! Not surprisingly, the main ingredient in instant hot cocoa mix is sugar as well.

Grown-up hot cocoa or sophisticated hot chocolate is a nuanced drink that should be savored thoughtfully. But when the snowflakes come, the mom in me will cave to the young masses each and every time. I’ll even throw in some marshmallows.

Snow Day Hot Cocoa

Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows for a snow day treat!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch salt

1/2 cup water

1 quart (4 cups) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk in water.

Place saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk. Stir to combine and continue to heat until mixture is hot (do not boil). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve hot and enjoy! 

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, NY. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. Her first cookbook, The Giving Table, was released in December 2022. Follow her at @naomirosscooks on Instagram/FB/TikTok or visit NaomiRossCooks.com.