What is it about fall and the urge to put pumpkin in everything? Even my 4 year old daughter has been bugging me everyday to make something with pumpkin ever since the weather got chillier. I guess it’s a good idea to make something with pumpkin anyways. A while back, I ordered a case of canned pumpkin through Amazon’s Subscribe and Save, and I kept forgetting to cancel the order. Needless to say, there is a lot of pumpkin in my house.
Today I decided to make a pumpkin hot chocolate from scratch. That was a freaking awesome idea because it was ridiculously good.
Sure, it’s convenient to go to Starbucks down the street and order the economy size cup of empty calories, sugar, and artificial shit you can’t even pronounce. But if you want to indulge, then you should drink something that is worthy of entering your body.
A small cafe found in Taipei, Taiwan. For all I know, they serve kick ass coffee compared to the mediocre worldwide chain.
This hot chocolate is for savoring, while lounging on the sofa in your cozy flannel pajamas, watching the autumn leaves swirl in the wind. When you sip it, you can taste the dark chocolate, pumpkin, spices, and cream. WIthout further ado, here it is.
I first made whipped cream. If you’ve never tried home made whipped cream, please make it. It is really easy, and so much more wholesome and delicious than Cool Whip. All it takes is 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 tbsp of sugar, and 1 tbsp of vanilla extract. Make sure the cream comes straight out of the fridge. If you can stick the mixing bowl into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes, that would be good too.
Start the mixer on low or else the cream will fly everywhere. Work your way up to high speed, and whip it for a few minutes until the cream thickens. It’s ready once the cream thickens to stiff peaks. Keep the whipped cream in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
What is a pumpkin hot chocolate without the special spice mix? I combined 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 2 tsp of ginger, 1 tsp of allspice, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp of cloves.
Here are the other ingredients. 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 can of organic pumpkin, 2% milk, vanilla extract, unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 bar of 70% dark chocolate, heavy cream, and pure organic maple syrup.
Mix the entire can of evaporated milk, 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/4 cup+1 tbsp of cocoa powder, the entire 3.5 oz bar of chocolate (in pieces), and the 1 tbsp of vanilla in the pot. Heat it on medium low heat while stirring constantly with the whisk. Keep gently heating it until the chocolate melts and the mixture emulsifies. It only takes a few minutes. Be sure to keep the heat low and stir often so a milky film does not form on the top of the mixture.
Add the entire can of pumpkin, 1/3 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tbsp of the spice mix. Keep whisking it on medium low heat for a few more minutes until it becomes the creamy, smooth hot chocolate of your dreams. Give it a taste to check if it is sweet enough.
I thought this dainty little Hello Kitty teacup and saucer were appropriate for this delicious drink. This isn’t a very sweet drink, but it is rich. Less is more.
(Sigh) So delicious. That there is a dollop of the whipped cream and a sprinkling of salted caramel sugar becoming one with the chocolatey goodness.
Whipped Cream
Ingredients
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 2 tbsp sugar
– 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Directions
Put the ingredients into the mixing bowl. Start the mixer on low speed, and slowly work up to high speed to avoid splatter. Whip on high for a few minutes until the cream thickens to stiff peaks.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Ingredients
– 1 tbsp cinnamon
– 2 tsp ginger
– 1 tsp allspice
– 1/2 tsp nutmeg
– 1/2 tsp cloves
Directions
Combine everything. Store in a closed container.
Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
– 15 oz can organic pumpkin
– 12 oz can evaporated milk
– 2 cups of 2% milk
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1/4 cup+1 tbsp cocoa powder
– 3.5 oz bar of 70% dark chocolate (broken up or chopped into pieces)
– 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
– 1/3 cup pure organic maple syrup
– 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions
– Pour the evaporated milk, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cocoa powder, and chocolate in a pot over medium low heat. Whisk the mixture constantly for a few minutes until the chocolate melts. Do not let the mixture come to a boil.
– Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Continue to whisk on medium low heat for a few more minutes until the hot chocolate becomes creamy and smooth.
– Top with whipped cream for a delicious treat.
