Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs, or
- 2 tablespoons dried
- 3 cups milk
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Directions
- In saucepan, combine herbs and milk. Bring to simmer and gently heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cover with lid. Allow to steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain herbs from milk, and then pour milk back into saucepan.
- Gently heat milk while whisking in chocolate. Heat until milk is hot and chocolate is completely dissolved.
- Pour into mugs and serve with a few miniature marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream.
Note:  Plan ahead by steeping and straining milk earlier in the day and keeping mixture refrigerated. When it’s time for dessert, simply pour chilled milk into a saucepan and continue by adding chocolate and heating thoroughly. Some herbs to consider infusing into your hot chocolate include: mint (any of the mints), lemon balm, anise hyssop, lavender, basil, fennel and rose petals.
Need more chocolate? Check out Chocolate Dessert Recipes for All Tastes.
Kathie N. Lapcevic is a writer and teacher who specializes in garden, food and recipe creation. She blogs at Homespun Seasonal Living and, when not working, can be found playing in the great outdoors of northwest Montana.
Looking for herbs that go with chocolate? This herbal hot chocolate recipe is a delicious way to end your evening in the colder weather.
Drink Your Chocolate Garden
Maybe you don’t have a large garden, but those herbs on the windowsill are getting big and bushy. Those should never be left out of the chocolate dessert repertoire.
A cup of hot chocolate is a delightful after-dinner drink. Great by a campfire as the evenings begin to cool toward fall and, of course, delightful during a cold winter. Make your cups full of homegrown goodness by following this general method.
Herby Hot Chocolate
Though you can add any herbs you would like, there are a few staples that are always good. Rose, chamomile and lavender are relaxing flowers that can add a nice flavor. For more of a punch, you could go for ginger or peppermint. Sage, tulsi (or holy basil) and maca power are a couple more excellent additions.
