Day 326.
Good morning! I am having severe internet issues, so fingers are crossed that this is going to post properly...
typing with crossed fingers is actually quite hard. I'm going to cross my toes instead.
serves 10-12 people.
For the basic peppermint hot chocolate:
--3 cups nonfat dried milk
--1 cup powdered sugar--3/4 cup cocoa powder
--1/4 tsp salt
--1/2 cup chocolate syrup
--1 to 2 tsp peppermint extract (my kids thought 2tsp was too strong.)
--7 cups water
--marshmallows and candy canes for garnish
for a "mocha":
--pour the cooked hot chocolate over a shot of espresso or a half-cup of very strong coffee
for an "adult drink":
--omit the peppermint extract and pour the hot chocolate over a shot of Peppermint Schnapps
I used a 4 quart crockpot.
Combine the dry ingredients into your crockpot and stir with a spoon. Squeeze in a half-cup of chocolate sauce, and add the peppermint extract. Add the water, a cup at a time, and stir well. The chocolatey mixture will be bubbly and look powdery. It's okay---it will cook together.
Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until completely hot. Serve with marshmallows and candy canes. If serving to guests, keep the pot on low with the lid off, and provide a ladle. If kept on warm, the hot chocolate will not stay warm enough.
The Verdict.
Very tasty. I tried it plain, and with a half cup of strong coffee. I did not try the Peppermint Schnapps version, but assume it would taste good. It was 10am.
The kids thought that the 2 tsp of peppermint extract was too strong, but that 1tsp was perfect. I recommend starting with 1 tsp, and add 1/4 tsp at a time to taste.
wow that looks delicious. thank god you got it posted. i love some good food porn in the morning haha
November 21, 2008 at 7:52 AM
"it was 10 am"
Ha---wouldn't have stopped me....science you know...
November 21, 2008 at 7:56 AM
ooh, love me some hot chocolate
November 21, 2008 at 8:38 AM
Oh, this looks so yummy. Thanks!
November 21, 2008 at 9:02 AM
10 am -- so? Think of it as a breath freshener. And walk your kid(s) to school that day.
November 21, 2008 at 9:18 AM
Ok, you have no idea what you just did to me. Chocolate? And mint? And coffee? I think I've died and gone to heaven.
November 21, 2008 at 9:26 AM
This sounds great. Thanks for the recipe!
November 21, 2008 at 9:51 AM
that looks and sounds so yummy i'm excited to try it in the near future!
November 21, 2008 at 10:10 AM
YUMMMMMM. Question, can it be chilled and saved for later? Although I think I could drink all 10 servings... :)
November 21, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I think that I just found my new Christmas drink...sure beats punch!
November 21, 2008 at 10:39 AM
This look so fantastic!! What a great addition to a holiday meal!
Ironically, I just posted on my blog about Peppermint Mocha Coffee... added to it today by topping it with whipped cream and crushed peppermint. It's really the cookies that I enjoyed with my drink that made it all come together, though. Naughty, naughty!
http://eternallizdom.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-bit-of-holiday-heaven.html
November 21, 2008 at 10:53 AM
LOL- I just found your blog! This is GREAT!
I LOVE the Obama/Mccain recipes- so clever!
I am def. going to try your candles and your risotto!!
November 21, 2008 at 11:05 AM
AH HA! Finally a recipe to use all that powdered cocoa that I have in the pantry...since I don't bake. I'm goin for the 'adult' version. Pass the schnapps over!
November 21, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Awesome!! I just wish the weather in southern California would remember that it's November, and chill down already so I can try some peppermint cocoa!
Thanks for the recipe!
November 21, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Yum! Sounds good to me! Wish I had a hot cup of it right now. :-)
November 21, 2008 at 12:52 PM
oh yummy, yummy, yummy!! I am so making this for everyone Thanksgiving night- or maybe afternoon actually. That's if it isn't 80 degress. Ya never know here in Texas!
November 21, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Mmmm Good...I'm going to make some this weekend, light the fireplace and put on a favorite movie !
November 21, 2008 at 2:08 PM
I'm a chocolate lover so will definitely try this over the holidays!
November 21, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Man, you sure make it hard: pumpkin lattes or peppermint hot chocolate mochas?? to decide, to decide....tough one, and here I thought I had it all figured out. ;-)
I guess I'll just have to make both!!!
November 21, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Do you think it would work well with regular milk instead of powdered milk and water? Probably on low.
November 21, 2008 at 3:46 PM
This looks wonderful! Thanks for the amazing and creative ideas for using the crock pot. You are a genious!
November 21, 2008 at 3:58 PM
It's here! It's here! The peppermint hot chocolate/mocha recipe is here!
(I stand corrected from yesterday's post. It was Veruca Salt, who wanted everything NOW on Willie Wonka.)
But thank you for posting it FINALLY! :-)
November 21, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Just found you!
I LOVE MY CROCKPOT,too.
I have to come back when I have more time...I am in awe!
Andrea
November 21, 2008 at 5:20 PM
OH MY!! I am just finding your blog at the END OF THE YEAR?!?! You have so many yummy recipes! I hope you continue on for 2009:)
November 21, 2008 at 11:45 PM
I wonder if you could make it without the extracts and then have those flavors you can put into coffee and then have a "hot chocolate bar"?
November 22, 2008 at 4:56 AM
I thought that was a bottle of peppermint schnapps :)
November 22, 2008 at 6:46 AM
Oh, that looks good. Maybe it'll break my addiction to Starbucks' white chocolate peppermint hot chocolate...
November 22, 2008 at 6:58 AM
Stephanie, In the words of David Cassidy: "I think I love you"
BTW, one of my favorite winter decadencies (is that a word) is hot chocolate with Buttershots. Because butterscotch & hot chocolate IS liquid porn.
Thank you for my new Xmas Eve tradition!
November 22, 2008 at 7:38 AM
Love love love your blog. I have lists of things to cook from here and never seem to get to them all--I need more crockpots!
Just to clarify, when you say to leave it with the lid off and a ladle "on warm" and then say "if kept on warm it will not stay warm enough"...I'm assuming you meant to leave it on high? or will that make it unreasonably hot for guests? Don't want to get sued for serving to hot of a beverage and scalding someone. :)
November 22, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Hi Julie, some of the newer crockpots have high, low, and warm settings. The warm setting won't keep this hot enough with the lid off, but the low setting will. If your crockpot only has high and low, use the low.
xox
steph
November 22, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Ah, thanks. A newer crockpot is on my wishlist; I just assumed warm = low and hot = high and that was the end of crockpot options. :)
Making rotisserie style chicken today for the first time--off to skin a chicken.
November 23, 2008 at 7:54 AM
I absolutely love Peppermint Mocha's! You've won my heart with this one. But does it have to be powdered milk and water or can you use regular milk?
November 23, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Hi Meal Planner,
I think using regular milk would work just fine---the recipe I was playing off of was to make hot chocolate at home---and I was intrigued by the cost of a box of nonfat dried milk. I'm sure you can substitute 7 cups of milk and omit the water.
--steph
November 23, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Subbed Splenda and Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup and made 1/3 of the recipe in the 2qt crockpot. Drank it all myself. Delicious.
Would be great at a holiday party with the extract left out and a adult flavoring bar along side: peppermint schnapps, buttershots, amaretto, coffee liquor, raspberry...
November 25, 2008 at 7:07 AM
Oh I am all over this one. I wanted a nice drink for when people come over this holiday season. The nice thing with the crockpot is you don't have to sit and stare at it while your company is there. The crockpot does it for you. Thanks
November 25, 2008 at 9:08 AM
This was delicious! Even my 2 year old was asking for "mo"! (the non-coffee kind!) Thanks for the recipe! This will be used again in our home!
~Andrea in BC
December 2, 2008 at 11:48 PM
mine curdled :( sad day! i had 2 pots set up for a baby shower. I think it got to hot. oh well. smelled great!! :)
December 6, 2008 at 4:37 PM
This looks delicious! I'm going to include it in my weekly Things to Write Home About post today.
December 7, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Hello,
I was referred over by Tara@Feels Like Home. She included my Twice baked Potato recipe in her things to write home about, and was looking through the other links she included. So happy she added your link. I love CrockPot recipes! This is awesome! Can't wait to give it a try. ;)
http://thejoereview.com/2008/12/06/from-joes-kitchen-4/
December 7, 2008 at 9:08 PM
I made this last night for my housemates, as we decorated our Christmas tree, and it was a huge hit! The whole house smelled like peppermint, and there was enough for all seven of us to have a mug, plus some left over for my drive to campus this morning. Great recipe!
December 8, 2008 at 11:02 AM
I am so making this for our party on Thursday! I'll probably use Starbucks peppermint syrup (will that make it too sweet?) because I bought a bunch of it with my discount at work...
December 17, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Help- mine was awful. I have a Rival that has high, low, warm setting with a timer (it's very new- last year) It was separated and a BIG mess. I followed your directions to a T so I'm wondering if it's the crockpot. Honestly I feel like my crockpot is always too hot. Any ideas what happened?
January 6, 2009 at 7:57 PM