European-style hot chocolate

Really good, decadent hot chocolate seems to be a bit of a lost art, at least here in America. Making it from scratch is not as convenient as simply adding water to the contents of an envelope… but it’s not too difficult, and the results are a world apart. You need the following:

1 cup whole milk (you can go healthier and use skim, but it’s really not the same… or if you really want to be extravagant, you can use half & half.)
1 heaping (and I mean HEAPING) tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. (Good brands include Scharffen Berger, Guittard, and my current favorite, Pernigotti!)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Combine the cocoa powder and sugar in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, and add a small amount of the milk, whisking until it forms a paste. Whisk in the rest of the milk until it is incorporated, then put in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Place in a heated mug to serve. (This makes one mug-sized serving.)

Rich, decadent European-style hot chocolate