Classic Drinking Chocolate + The Essence of Chocolate
With all this talk about winter comforts (not to mention the 18 degree weather outside) it seems like the perfect time to write about the winner of the recent recipe poll: Classic Drinking Chocolate! This recipe is from “The Essence of Chocolate” and the author, John Scharffenberger, introduces it by relating how frequently people ask him what his favorite dessert is. “I hate that question,” he writes, “because people expect me to say a mile-high chocolate cake or something really ornate. Instead, I like to make really good, thick hot chocolate.” When I first read this I thought, “What? Pass up a slice of rich cake for hot chocolate?” – but after trying and enjoying this recipe Mr. Scharffenberger has me convinced. This luscious drink truly is liquid dessert. It may be a bit too rich for every day drinking, but then that problem is solved with another delectable concoction: Factory Store Hot Chocolate. This last recipe get’s its name from the fact that it’s served daily in the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory so that people taking a tour can pour themselves a cup.
That’s right, there are actually two hot chocolate recipes in this post, plus a review. Try them both and see which fits your tastes. I personally prefer the ‘classic drinking chocolate’ as an after dinner dessert, while the ‘factory store hot chocolate’ is a lovely way to wind down after a long day. Hot chocolate really has everything you need on a cold night doesn’t it? It warms your hands and heart, gives you an excuse to take deep, chocolate scented breaths, and tastes wonderful too.
Classic Drinking Chocolate
What’s Good: There are many things to love about this book. Let’s start with presentation – it is beautifully bound and nearly every recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous photograph. Though I understand that not every cookbook can include photos I still give them bonus points when they do. It’s not just about seeing what the finished product will look like; I also love to sit and leaf through the recipes, enjoy a sort of visual feast. “The Essence of Chocolate” is entirely satisfying on this front.
The recipes are both unique and varied, ranging from favorites such as cakey brownies and chocolate drop cookies to more exotic things like cocoa chiffon cake, banana caramel cake and candied almonds. The recipes are not limited to desserts. This book also includes unexpected dishes that incorporate chocolate, for instance, chili-marinated flank steak and BBQ sauce. The Chocolate Pull-Apart Kuchen I made last month came from this book, as did my Apricot & Chocolate Challah, which was based upon this text’s recipe for chocolate chunk challah. Content is organized both by type (dessert vs. savory dish) and by the amount of chocolate required.
In addition to recipes, “The Essence of Chocolate” has incredibly helpful sections on chocolate techniques and types of chocolate. It also includes information about the history of chocolate and the Scharffen Berger chocolate company. I enjoyed the fact that I could cozy up with this book and indulge in a fascinating foray into the “legend and lore” of chocolate. Where else would you learn about the role it played in Mayan and Aztec rituals or about its part in Marie Theresa’s marriage to King Louis XIV? I can honestly say that, until I read this book, I did not know that the term ‘devils food’ comes from the Pilgrims. Apparently one of Amsterdam’s biggest chocolate houses was located in a neighborhood populated by Pilgrims. Considering that they stoned people for adultery and shunned all things enjoyable, it’s no surprise that, when they saw all the chocolate house patrons cavorting next door, they decided their behavior was the work of the devil. They soon began calling chocolate “devil’s food,” and even outlawed it in Plymouth Colony once it was established. Years after the Pilgrims left Amsterdam their influence remained and when bakers began making a cake made of chocolate they decided that the dark, obviously sinful, cake should be called Devil’s Food.
Like I said – who knew? (My husband says he knew but he’s a smarty pants.)
What’s Bad: There is only one thing I did not like about this book and that’s how so many of the recipes assume you have a high-quality stand mixer at home. This doesn’t pose much of a problem when you’re whipping up a batch of cookies since using a hand held mixer will achieve similar results. It does come into play, however, with the bread recipes. Here you will often be told to “switch to a paddle attachment… and continue to knead the dough for five minutes,” which is all well and good if you have a stand mixer. But what about those of us who don’t? Where are the alternate instructions for mixing and kneading by hand? Though my experience baking bread allowed me to compensate for this oversight I would have been pretty dissapointed if I were a novice baker. It’s more than likely that someone without bread baking experience would simply skip over these recipes, perhaps figuring a stand mixer was required, and that’s a shame since the finished products are so delicious.
Conclusion: If you are a chocolate lover looking for a book with a wide variety of delicious recipes “The Essence of Chocolate” would be an excellent addition to your collection. One small caveat for those interested in using the bread recipes: if you don’t own a stand mixer (and can’t afford to buy one, like me) you may want to also purchase a fabulous bread book. My recommendation would be “The Bread Bakers Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.” Or, you could look at the ‘by hand’ instructions I included for Chocolate Pull-Apart Kuchen and Chocolate & Apricot Challah. 
Recipes after the jump!
Classic Drinking Chocolate
Ingredients: Serves 6 to 12 (You’re right, the ingredients don’t seem like they would serve that many people, but this drink is so rich that you only need a bit to feel satisfied.)
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 ounces 99% unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, use this if you’re going for Mexican-style chocolate)
- You can also add a splash of brandy or rum if you like
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it is hot to the touch. Whisk in the chocolate and sugar and continue whisking for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla and the cinnamon and cayenne, if using. Reduce the heat to low. The chocolate may be made ahead; it will thicken as it sits.
Serve in demitasse cups or mugs, depending on desired portion.
Note: For a lighter, airy consistency, remove the hot chocolate from the heat and mix with a hand blender on low speed just before serving. Or make ahead and use the frother of an espresso machine to reheat it. Individual servings can also be topped with frothed milk.
This can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated, but if you use the spices, keep in mind their flavor intensifies over time.
Factory Store Hot Chocolate
Ingredients: Serves 2
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (You can, of course, add more later if you want it to be sweeter.)
- 2 cups whole milk
In a small saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in the milk and heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and continue to stir for another 3 to 5 minutes, or just until steam begins to rise from the top. Do not boil. Pour into two mugs and serve immediately.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:34 Responses to “Classic Drinking Chocolate + The Essence of Chocolate”
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Interesting sounding book. Thanks for the review and hot chocolate recipe. I could certainly use it this freezing Saturday morning.
Paz
These look great! I can’t wait to try them. Hot chocolate is my favorite!
These recipes sound great!
Hot chocolate in this cold wetaher sounds great!
Yowza, you may have just talked me into a new cookbook, not a terribly hard thing to do I admit, but I don’t usually buy books that focus on one ingredient….but come on, this is Chocolate!
I love that you mentioned that they include savory recipes as well. Having said that, forget savory for now, I can’t wait to try both of these recipes for drinking chocolate, yum! Thank you! I am working on a thesis today and am in serious need of a pick me up, this should do the trick!
Hurray! I have been waiting all week long for you to post the Classic Drinking Chocolate recipe, my husband and I even purchased a new bottle of rum ( okay..a small bottle). Love the book review. My grandmother used to add chocolate to her Mole dish which gave it that special little taste that you just never forgot. Thank you for reminding me.
Hi Ari. Dropping by from Michele’s on this lovely Saturday. Your timing is prescient, for we were hit by a massive snow storm yesterday. As the city was completely shut down in the storm’s wake, we found ourselves at home with lots of time to get the kids outside. When they got cold and wet, my wife made hot chocolate and we stood around drinking it while our youngest continued to play under the big, bare maple tree.
This entry’s timing is perfect. You’ve inspired us to make more. Thanks!
I’m reading your post as I sip a delicious Mexican hot chocolate with a nice shot of Baileys… I love hot chocolate!
Thank you for you kind comment
chocolate books are my weakness. they are the ultimate in food-porn
Hot chocolate is one of my favorite things to drink, thanks for sharing TWO awesome sounding recipes. Now I just have to decide which to try first…. flip a coin perhaps?
Drinking chocolate is so rich…I love it!
I love hot chocolate in winter. It’s too warm here for it this month.
Nothing beats hot chocolate in cold weather! (seems to me that someone needs a stand mixer for Chanukah…..)
I’ve prepared the first recipe “Classic Drinking Chocolate” today for my husband. He came back home very tired and the cup of chocolate has “returned him to a life”. Thank you . Top recipe.
Oh wow, what an amazing comment home cook! I am so, so glad it lifted your husband’s spirits.
OK, I never knew that the Pilgrims came up with the term “Devil’s Food.” Who knew, indeed! I guess that’s one more thing to be thankful for!
A tasty book!!!
Michele sent me here.
I so wish I had a stand mixer *sigh* on day
Great book review – thanks! I’ve been considering the Bread Maker’s Apprentice, I’m glad you like it. I LOVE hot chocoate and usually make one similar to your second recipe. Your first recipe sounds fabulous, so I’ll be trying that. My daughter’s 4th grade class is studying California history, so they’re having a Fiesta Day this Thursday and I am making Mexican Hot Chocolate for that. If it turns out using the recipe they gave me, I’ll pass it along!
Me too Jeff, me too.
Ari, this Pilgrims against chocolate thing reminded of Juliet Binoche in “Chocolat”. It’s interesting how people are afraid of things they don’t know!
I tottaly agree with you about cookbooks with pictures – the ones with loads of them are always my favorites!
I can also relate to the stand mixer problem – I don’t own one either, but it has never stopped me from baking. I use the simple mixer I have here and go for it!
Your hot chocolate looks so good that I feel like having some (even on a 27ºC day!)
Hi Ari,
I’m glad you reviewed that book. I’ve been wanting a book on chocolate, and I like that this has savory recipes too. I may buy something that is more focused on candy-making, but we’ll see what the budget allows. Your blog looks really great, by the way!
Be still my heart. Can’t wait to make these!
Given how much you bake, Ari, I’m surprised it’s not worth it to you to buy a stand mixer on clearance. They’re still around $100 but that’s better than having sore hands all the time. But I guess at 26 that doesn’t happen so much.
My apologies to your husband but I have a suspicion that the Pilgrims / Devil’s Food story is just one of those urban tales. Names like that usually don’t float around for a few hundred years waiting for the product to exist. But maybe I’m too cynical, Ari.
You don’t have to apologize to my husband Utenzi! You’re disagreeing with Alton Brown, food historians and the author of “The Essence of Chocolate,” not him. My husband’s only heard that bit of food trivia before, he didn’t research it.
I would buy a KitchenAid mixer, but even at $174 that’s still a bit too much for my budget. Perhaps you’ll find that surprising but believe me, when you’re a full time student and have $80K (no kidding) in student loans KitchenAid mixers are not immediately feasible. My hands don’t get sore though and I enjoy bread making even without the mixer! (Though I’d still love to have one, lol.)
PS. If I remember correctly, AB reported that tidbit in the same way “The Essence of Chocolate” did – under the “legend and lore” heading. Who knows though – with food that’s been around as long as chocolate it’s tough to pinpoint exactly where dishes originated or how they got their names. In the meantime I enjoy the interesting stories. And especially eating everything.
Hiya, what a dreamy book! I think I’m falling in love!
Anyway, I think muffin is perfect for plane trip. Have a marvelous trip! I would love to visit Israel someday. Masjidil Aqsha! ———Riana
Ari, I have to tell you: I bought this book after reading your review and I am completely in love with it. The photos are gorgeous and all the recipes look so good! My one problem is picking what to make first. Maybe I should do one of the recipes you featured?
Hurray for chocolate books! (By which I mean, books about chocolate, not edible chocolate books… though that would be interesting…)
Lindsey, I’m glad you like the book! I couldn’t tell you what to try though, I had a hard enough time picking the ones I tried!
Edible chocolate books… interesting concept. Could you read them too? Would they melt in your hands?
I’m just going to echo Lindsey here and say that I picked up this book at Barnes and Noble and am really quite pleased with it. I’m wondering whether I should also check out the Hot Chocolate book that is in your ads section…. have you tried this book?
Ooohh…lovely ! Another hot chocolate to try. My favorite so far is the Campton place hot chocolate but this sounds divine! For the stand mixer problem, I think there is a stand mixer prize on the Menu for hope III fund raiser
Cordelia – I have not tried the Hot Chocolate book in the ads section. I’ve browsed through it at the library and it certainly looked great though. It’s on my long, long list of cookbooks to try.