White Hot Chocolate w/ Orange

What a game!!  Yes, as usual, I'm writing this post on a Saturday night...and I have the game fresh in my mind.  This one even more so than usual - because I WAS THERE.  Yes, my boys and I went to the Notre Dame game for my birthday today.  And what an insane game it was.  For a while, ND struggled.  It looked like we might be in for a disappointment for our first game this year (well, first game actually IN the stadium).  Our return game basically sucked.  We missed three field goals (!?).  And with about 4 minutes left, it looked like we going to lose.  We still needed a touchdown plus a two point conversion just to tie it.  And wouldn't you know it, "we" threw an interception in the end zone.

I'm not gonna lie.  At just under 4 minutes remaining, I entertained the idea of truckin' it to the car.  LUCKILY, the boys were with me and they were not ready to call it quits.  That would be luckily because - we held PITT and then we scored our touchdown.  AND our two point conversion.  To overtime it was!  And then to double overtime.  And then to TRIPLE OVERTIME. Whaaaa!?  Our boys decided that it was time to play the way they've been playing the whole year and bring a big, at-home win.  Absolutely insane ending to the game.  29-26.  Notre Dame wins!  Obviously they didn't want to disappoint me on my birthday.

By the way - thanks so much for ALL of the fabulous birthday wishes you guys sent out to me yesterday!  I was absolutely overwhelmed by the love on Facebook.  I'm hoping to have a chance to get over there tonight to thank everybody "personally" before I crash...but if I don't...please know how awesome it felt to hear from so many people.

So the other day, I mentioned how it's holding steady in the mid-40's during the daytime lately.  And once the sun goes down, we're hitting 30's...and I think even 20's tonight.  So you can imagine that while this is fantastic football weather...the bundling...the body heat from sitting shoulder to shoulder in the stadium...the warmth generated from jumping up and down and screaming at the top of your lungs...that yes, it's also pretty darn chilly.  And it calls for hot drinks.  Cozy cups of hot chocolate were definitely in order.

But the same goes for at home.  When I was growing up, after I'd come in from being outside sledding or shoveling...heck, even raking...I always wanted a hot chocolate to warm my bones.  Granted, I think my hot chocolate always came from a little packet.  Often with freeze-dried marshmallows.  And I enjoyed every last drop of it.

I guess my kids inherited that love, because every time they walk in the house on a cold day, the first request?  It's HOT CHOCOLATE.  Now, I may as well say it.  I buy the powdered sometimes.  Usually when it's on sale.  It's quick, it's easy, the kids can make it themselves.  But I also make it from scratch.  And that is the really good stuff because I can make different varieties.  From good old-fashioned hot chocolate to hot chocolate made with Mexican chocolate to Atole to this White Hot Chocolate with Orange, which just so happens to be my oldest son's most-requested, they all warm your body and your soul from the inside out.

I like mine with booze.  Go figure.

White Hot Chocolate w/ Orange (regular or boozy)

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Keywords: beverage dairy milk orange alcohol Christmas Day of the Dead Dia de los Muertos Halloween Thanksgiving American fall winter

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 c. whole milk
• 1 c. heavy cream
• peel of one orange, cut into a long strip (or 2 or 3- w/ no pith attached)
• 8 oz. good white chocolate, chopped (or good white chocolate chips)
• 1 tsp. pure almond emulsion (or extract)
• tiny pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Combine milk, cream, and strips of orange peel in a medium-sized sauce pot over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring from time to time. Gradually whisk in the white chocolate until it is entirely melted. Turn off the heat and whisk in almond emulsion (or extract) and the tiny pinch of sea salt. Lift out the orange peel and discard (or just "hold it back" with your whisk when pouring into mugs).

Ladle hot chocolate into mugs and garnish with an orange twist (or some finely grated zest), if you wish.

note:

If you want to make this a nice cup of "grown-up" hot chocolate, add a shot of one of my favorites to your mug: UV Cake Vodka, Cupcake Frosting Vodka, or another similar flavored vodka like Vanilla or Whipped. Or you could go another direction and accentuate the orange with some orange vodka or liqueur. Or yet another direction, add a shot of amaretto to bring out the almond notes.

adapted from Brunch