Chocolate Comfort

In anticipation of Valentine's Day, the Food Network has dedicated the whole of this week and next to everything Chocolate. And according to Alton Brown, the most intense form of chocolate after the bean itself is actually ground cocoa, i.e. the powder, since it doesn't have any milk or butter content. Which is why if you want to drink hot chocolate, it's best to add cocoa powder to milk rather than melt chocolate chunks in it. That way, you minimize the amount of milk and maximize the flavor of chocolate.

So when I was outlet shopping with my cousin, I chanced upon this irresistible treat- Dark Chocolate Truffle Hot Cocoa from Godiva. It was the pretty packaging that caught my eye, but c'mon, dark chocolate cocoa? Which girl wouldn't pick it up?... Anyways, in the midst of the frigid cold last night, I made some for Jude and I by heating up some milk and four tablespoons of the truffle powder for each cup of milk. Talk about intense flavor...

People, it is the single most decadent, luxurious mug of hot chocolate you will ever taste...

For those few short moments of visceral chocolate heaven, it's like someone reached into your inner being and covered your heart with a warm fluffy blanket and gave you a loving forehead kiss and a tight hug (ok, mixed-up anatomical analogy I know, but you get what I mean...) Whatever chill we felt just faded away and all was well with the world once more :)

I'm not sure if you can get the hot chocolate in the regular stores and I know that Godiva only released it as part of their holiday collection, but if you ever see it, hoard as many as you can find. These cold frigid nights will never be the same again :)