How to make homemade hot chocolate with Duplin Port wine
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When it comes to deliciously chilly fall nights, when you're wrapped in a blanket sitting on the patio by a fire, there are few things more wonderful than a spiked mug of hot chocolate.
Yep, we said "spiked." In case you hadn't heard, port wine is a classic pairing with chocolate, which got us thinking: What if we put Duplin American Port in a mug of hot cocoa?
The answer to the "What if?" was that we couldn't stop sipping this decadent combination. Our American Port is 10% brandy and 90% wine made with sweet, late-season Muscadine grapes. The port's caramel flavor, with a hint of nut, found a cozy home in a big mug of homemade hot chocolate, adding depth that warmed us deep into our bones.
We started with our recipe for instant hot chocolate mix. We dropped a couple spoonfuls of the dry mix into a heavy, extra-large mug then filled the cup a little more than halfway with steaming-hot whole milk. After stirring, we added 1/2 cup of port, which might sound like a lot but turned out to be just right. We topped the cocoa with a hefty handful of mini marshmallows and then piped on a high mound of whipped cream. Drizzles of both chocolate and caramel sauces were the final touches.
Duplin Port Hot Chocolate
For the cocoa mix:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered milk
For 1 large cup of hot chocolate:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa mix
- 1 cup water or milk
- ½ cup Duplin Port Wine
- 10-15 mini marshmallow
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
DIRECTIONS
- Prepare the cocoa mix: Place confectioners’ sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered milk in a large bowl and whisk ingredients together until well blended.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of cocoa mix into an extra-large mug. Transfer remaining cocoa mix to an airtight container and store to use as needed.
- Heat water or milk. Pour hot liquid over the cocoa mix in the cup and stir milk mixture. Add port wine and stir again.
- Sprinkle marshmallows over hot chocolate mixture. Spoon or pipe on sweetened whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate and caramel sauces.
- Serves 1.
