Hot cocoa and Hot chocolate

The difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate.
The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically there is a difference. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, which is chocolate pressed free of all its richness, meaning the fat of cocoa butter. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars melted into cream. It is rich and decadent.

The original hot cocoa recipe was a mixture of ground cocoa beans, water, wine, and peppers. It didn't take long for Spaniards to begin heating the mixture and sweetening it with sugar. After being introduced in England, milk was added to the after dinner treat. The word chocolate is said to derive from the Mayan word xocoatl; cocoa from the Aztec word cacahuatl. Chocolate has been consumed as a beverage for thousands of years and will probably continue to be a favorite for thousands more. For now we have some favorite hot chocolate recipes to enjoy this holiday season...so drink up :)

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Hershey's Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups (1 qt.) milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream(optional)


Preparation:
Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil. 2 Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings

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Nestle Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
4 cups milk, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 whipped cream or miniature marshmallows (optional)
Preparation:
Combine sugar and cocoa in medium saucepan; stir. Gradually stir in 1/3 cup milk to make a smooth paste; stir in remaining milk. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows, if desired, before serving

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Ghirardelli "Grown Up" Hot Chocolate

4 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup(s) half-and-half
1 tablespoon(s) amaretto (almond liqueur)
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
½ cup(s) whipped cream

Preparation:
In saucepan over low heat, bring chocolate and half-and-half to simmer, whisking constantly. Simmer 1 minute or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; whisk in liqueur and vanilla. Pour into four ½-cup demitasse or coffee cups. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons whipped cream; dust with Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa (if desired). Serve immediately.

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Presidential Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbs sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon, whipped cream and orange zest

Preparation:
Add sugar and cocoa to milk and heat in a saucepan until dissolved. Add the cream, cinnamon and vanilla. Heat until almost boiling. Mix well and serve, topped with whipped cream and a bit of orange zest.