Black Forest Hot Chocolate

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Black Forest Hot Chocolate

This Black Forest hot chocolate is inspired by the flavours of schwarzwälder kirschtorte, just in mug form. Rich cocoa, warm milk, a splash of cherry liqueur, and a hint of vanilla come together into something indulgent but not overly sweet. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 milliliters) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons (10 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.75 ounces (50 grams) dark chocolate, chopped, plus extra for shavings
  
• 1-2 tablespoons (12 - 25 grams) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract or ½ a vanilla pod (see notes)
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) cherry liqueur, Kirsch, or cherry brandy
• Whipped cream - to serve
• A few jarred sour cherries (such as Morello cherries), well-drained, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk: Add the milk to a small saucepan and heat gently over medium-low heat. Do not let it boil.
2. Add cocoa and chocolate: Whisk in the cocoa powder, chopped dark chocolate, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Keep stirring until the chocolate has fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Finish with cherry liqueur: Remove from the heat and stir in the cherry liqueur. Start with 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) and adjust to taste.
4. Serve: Pour into mugs. Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and cherries (optional).

Notes/Hints:

• The traditional flavor would be made with Kirsch. If unavailable, use cherry brandy or sour cherry liqueur. For a non-cherry alternative, Amaretto works well with chocolate.
• For a stronger Black Forest flavour, add an extra tablespoon of cherry liqueur. 
•  If using a sweeter cherry liqueur, reduce the sugar slightly. 
•  For a non-alcoholic version, replace the liqueur with a spoonful of cherry juice or cherry compote and a drop of almond extract.
• If using a vanilla pod, slice it in half and scrape out the seeds. Add both the pod and seeds while warming the milk. 5-8 minutes is long enough to infuse the vanilla flavor into the milk. Remove the pod before serving.

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