As the trees go from multi-colored to barren and the chill in the air turns to from crisp to downright frigid, there is perhaps nothing more deeply comforting and nostalgic than an enormous mug of hot chocolate. When it comes going beyond the tiny envelopes of powdered mix, though, that warm homeyness can sometimes dissipate when you get into the nitty-gritty of exactly how to put homemade hot chocolate together. Essentially, the process itself is relatively simple: in a small pot or saucepan over low heat, whisk your dairy together, bring to a simmer, add chocolate, cook through, then add additional components (sometimes off-heat). This can get tricky, though.
Frankly, there's a customization inherent in homemade hot chocolate that can be both liberating and also inundating: What kind of dairy? What kind of chocolate? What kind of syrups, spices, extracts, or flavorings? Whipped cream, marshmallows, or no garnish? Should there be actual pumpkin, just pumpkin spice, or just plain ol' cinnamon?
