Winter Season: Hot Cocoa

There's a blanket of snow on the ground here which means it's definitely time to start whipping up some hot drinks! My favourite winter time hot drink is cocoa (I drink tea all year round do we can't really call that a winter drink :P) This is probably simpler to make than you think it just takes a little love and patience to get it perfect.

As with most of the recipes i share there are so many ways to fancy this recipe up but I'm switching things up! You're gonna have to check out my Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for those ideas! And you're not going to want to miss out. So check the sidebar for links! Check the comments on this post for link as they become available! (or just go follow me!)

HOT COCOA
yield: 8 oz mug, easily doubled/tripled etc

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Cocoa powder
2 tsp  white sugar
a pinch salt

8oz milk, the higher the fat the tastier but we keep 2% in the house
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Add your milk and vanilla to a small pot and heat over low-medium heat. You want to be careful not to heat your milk too high or too fast because burnt milk is... disgusting. While it's heating be sure to stir ( i prefer a whisk but any stirring utensil will do) to avoid a skin forming. This is not only unappetizing but can be dangerous if your milk begins to boil under the surface.

While your milk is heating add the dry ingredients to your mug.



This is the important part. You need to add just a little bit of milk and stir to create a thick liquid. The biggest mistake people make is adding all the liquid and getting those unappealing chunks of cocoa throughout their drink. If you add a small amount of liquid to create a thick syrup that liquid and your hot milk will mix together with little issue.

Once your milk has heated to a slight simmer add about half to your mug, stir until combined and then add the rest and stir until combined. Again by working in smaller amounts you get a better handle on how combined and dissolved all of your ingredients are.

You're ready to drink!




On to the witchy stuff!
 

There's really only one important ingredient here (until we start getting fancy that is) and that's chocolate. Before we even get into correspondences a lot of people have strong feelings about chocolate as a comfort food, an aphrodisiac. It's often linked to romance. And those associations align pretty perfectly with chocolate in witchcraft.

We’re working with cocoa and milk so I’m going to focus on milk chocolate. There isn't a huge difference from one variety to another it’s more about intensity. (You can see some extra info in my Muffin recipe) Through my research I found a really fun description! WitchTips describes milk chocolate as the rose quartz of chocolate! And how perfect is that? They’re both very much about soft, gentle love to both yourself and those around you. Self-love is huge aspect of both and that’s what I focused on with this recipe.

As I stirred I pictured a soft pink light surrounding my cup and built up loving energy. You could add in words of affirmation or an incantation if that’s your thing and repeat them out loud or in your head. I do this most times but I was really feeling the energy and didn't want to distract myself. Remember to be direct and speak in the present tense: “I love myself,” “I am loved,” “I am kind to myself,” etc. I also made a cup for everyone in my house infused with the same energy in order to give them a little boost in they’re self love and happiness. It is that time of year when energy begins to dip and the warmth and love from a perfect cup of hot cocoa is sometimes all you need to perk right back up and get on with your dark half of the year goals.

Chocolate: Feminine, Water and Earth, friendship, self-love, nurturing, balance, fun, comfort, raises emotional energy

Short and Gritty
yield: 8 oz mug, easily doubled/tripled etc

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Cocoa powder
2 tsp  white sugar
a pinch salt

8oz milk, the higher the fat the tastier but we keep 2% in the house
1/2 tsp vanilla

Direction:

1. Begin heating milk and vanilla in a pot. don't scald or boil. stir to avoid skin
2. Put dry ingredients in mug with a tbsp or two of milk at any temperature
3. Mix to create a paste/syrup
4. When milk is at a slight simmer add about half to mug
5. Stir to combine
6. Add the rest of the milk and stir to combine.
7. Done