Tea Infused Hot Cocoa

I love a nice cup of hot cocoa in the winter. There is something about the creamy, rich flavor of chocolate that cures a sweet tooth craving. And if I am outside all day in the cold? Then forget about it, hot cocoa is perfect.

Even though I love cocoa, I never actually finish the cup

It is one of those weird things. When I am drinking it I love it, but no matter what I always have about a quarter cup left. I finally figured out that cocoa is just too rich because I use milk. But if I use water it is too thin. So what is a guy supposed to do?

Tea and cocoa are an amazing combination

I discovered this one day when I was sick of drinking "normal" cocoa. Since tea and milk go so well, I figured that tea and cocoa would also be good (and it is.) So I have spent a lot of time testing different teas and cocoa's together. One added bonus is if you use flavored teas you can get some really delicious natural variations of hot cocoa without using sugary pumps or chemical mixes.

Here is the basic way to make a tea infused hot cocoa

What you need (Makes 2 cups)

1 teaspoon tea (I have some recommendations below)
1 cup milk (I like 2%)
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I like dutch processed cocoa powder)

Here is how you make it

Make one cup of tea and set aside
Mix together milk, sugar and cocoa in a small pot and heat on the stove
When the milk is hot, add the tea
Wait until the milk is simmering (not boiling) and whisk
Pour in an over sized mug and enjoy!

Three teas stood out

While you can make a tea infused hot cocoa with any tea, the following teas really stood out as being extraordinary.

Vanilla Mint - The mint and chocolate are a wonderful pairing especially when you are cold. The vanilla adds a bit of creaminess that is delicious

Kashmiri Chai - This makes an almost spicy, Mexican style hot cocoa. The cinnamon, clove and cardamom combine to create an aromatic and zesty drink

Sugar Caramel Oolong - Cocoa with caramel? Yes and it is as good as it sounds. But luckily this version won't bust your waistline as other versions do

Summary

Enjoy this winter with some fantastic variations of the typical hot cocoa. The best thing about these is since you are using less milk, they will be less calories. That never hurts in the season of cookies and other sweets!

photo: www.flickr.com/photos/lanielderts/11551915304