Hot chocolate is the best treat when coming home after an afternoon of ice skating on an Amsterdam canal. These days the canals do not freeze as often as when I was a child. I have vivid memories of cold days and hot chocolate. Koffietijd, time for coffee, is a traditional Dutch half hour when we enjoy a cup of coffee. At this time of day, I used to make coffee for myself and hot chocolate for my children. I used powered cocoa, poured on a little cold milk, stirred the avoid lumps, then poured on hot milk and added a spoonful of sugar.
This hot chocolate tasted nowhere like the cocoa my grandmother made. Memory fades with time, I always thought. Her hot chocolate can't have been much different in taste from the drink I gave to my children.
Bundled up in a warm coat, I would walk to my grandparents' house. I would climb the creaky stairs, brush off my grandmother's welcome kisses and peek into the kitchen. My mug stood always ready. Gran's hot chocolate tasted velvety and soft. As if an angel had landed on my tongue.
The other day, when sorting out old photos, I found a piece of paper. It said Marianne's Hot Chocolate in my grandmother's handwriting. She died almost fifty years ago. I am sure she smiled when from heaven, when I found this scrap of paper. Right away, I made Gran's Hot Chocolate drink. It tasted exactly the way I remembered. Here is the recipe.
Hot Chocolate Drink
Ingredients for three big mugs
- ½ liter milk
- 80 g dark chocolate
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp sugar
Method
- Melt the chocolate au-bain marie
- Bring the milk to the boil
- Add the milk to the chocolate, stirring all the time
- Whisk egg yolk and sugar together in a separate bowl
- Add the milk and chocolate mixture and whisk thoroughly
What is au-bain marie?
Au-bain marie is a method to dissolve the chocolate slowly. You will need a double boiler. If you haven't got one, you can use a small saucepan and a heat-proof bowl. Rest the bowl on the brim of the saucepan. Fill the pan with water. Bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat. Put the chocolate in the bowl and stir until dissolved.
Adapted Version of Hot Chocolate Drink
When my grandmother made this hot chocolate drink for me, the world was different. Raw eggs could still be eaten. These days this is different. Salmonella is one reason why eggs should not be eaten raw. I first followed the recipe as my grandmother had written it down. It tasted heavenly. I then left out the egg yolk and it still tasted heavenly. I then used milk chocolate and left out the sugar, also very tasty, but less chocolaty. Finally I made the chocolate drink with white chocolate. The taste is all right. I definitely like my grandmother's recipe best, but without the yolk.
Marianne Crone - Marianne is a retired teacher of English and started her writing career writing text books. She started writing about her travels after ...
Join the Conversation