Go Coo-Coo for Hot Cocoa

January is upon us and so is the achingly cold weather that comes along with it. Fear not! There’s plenty of way you can beat the winter chill, and we can’t think of a more efficient or delicious one than with hot chocolate!

On top of being tasty and a great way to warm up, there are actually several health benefits to drinking hot chocolate. Cocoa contains significant amounts of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer and are associated with promoting heart health. Hot chocolate also can improve your mood, chocolate contains mood-lightening serotonin, the key hormone for stabilizing our moods and overall feeling of well-being.

Here are some new ways to enjoy this classic drink:

Spicy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients (2 servings):

-1 ¾ cups of whole milk

-3/4 cup of dark chocolate

-1 tablespoon of brown sugar

-1 pinch of chili flakes

Garnish

-grated chocolate

-1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

-whipped cream

1. Gently heat up the milk in a pot over a medium heat
2. Add and stir in the dark chocolate, brown sugar and chili flakes
3. Turn off the heat and pour into glass
4. Bonus, you can garnish the hot chocolate with whipped cream, grated chocolate and chili flakes

Colombian Hot Chocolate w/ Cheese

Ingredients (6 servings):

– 3 ounces of dark chocolate

-2 ½ cups of water

-1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

-5 ounces of mozzarella

-1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1. Place your chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and water into a pot over medium heat
2. Stir constantly until the water simmers and the chocolate is completely melted. The hot chocolate should be frothy from the consistent whisking
3. Turn off the heat, cut the cheese into small cubes and place about 2 ½ ounces of cheese into each cup
4. Pour the hot chocolate into each cup and allow to steep for 1 minute to allow the cheese to melt
5. Serve with a spoon and enjoy

Chinese Rock Salt Tea

Ingredients (2 servings):

-1/2 cup of 3-ounche package of cream cheese, softened

-1/3 cup whipping cream

-1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

-1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder

-2 ounces of hot water

-1 tablespoon of sugar

-1/2 cup cold milk

-crushed ice

-cocoa powder for garnish

1. Whip together the condensed milk, cream cheese and whipping cream with an electric beater
2. Stir the water, sugar and cocoa powder into a mug, then transfer to a tall glass. Add cold milk, ice and then carefully top with the whipped cheese mixture.

You can find all of these ingredients and more right here at NetCost Market. For over 20 years, we’ve helped our customers save time and money while offering them the world of food. We’re a local supermarket with a global reach, providing a selection of everyday food products as well as culinary delights from around the world. It’s our goal to provide authentic, high-quality food products from local farmers as well as global suppliers. When you shop with NetCost Market, you’ll find a gratifying shopping experience that even includes online grocery shopping and home delivery.