Hellobee

So, how is everyone’s holiday season going? I aim to be the kind of person who takes December in stride, staying above the the fray when it comes to stress and general busyness, but if I’m being real the past week really wore me down. When I start feeling tightness in my shoulders and become unable to focus, I know it’s time to take a breather – an adult time out if you will.

The good thing about self-prescribed time outs? They involve treats. And given the time of year, hot chocolate seemed appropriate, but I wanted to take it in a different direction to pull me out of my funk. I eschewed my beloved dark chocolate for white, but not just any white – this is white chocolate all grown up. It’s caramelized to bring out more toasty, sophisticated flavors to balance out its sweetness. Combined with milk and a pinch of salt, it’s a rich, warming dessert in a mug to encourage savoring and, therefore, slowing down.

I learned a lot while researching how to caramelize white chocolate, most notably that the the brand at my nearest supermarket, labeled “white morsels” contains NO cocoa butter. It’s not technically white chocolate at all. The easiest way to get runny, dreamy caramelized white chocolate is to use an authentic product, so make sure you’re checking the packaging to ensure you’re getting the real deal. If you can’t get true white chocolate, read the recipe for how to proceed.

Caramelizing white chocolate takes an hour or more, but the hands-on portion is minimal. I just had to step away from playing with the kids every fifteen minutes to give the mixture a stir until the deep, roasty color was reached. Then it’s ready to combine with warm milk for a very special treat.

Caramelized White Hot Chocolate

8 ounces white chocolate, chips or finely chopped
3 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
lightly whipped cream, to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the white chocolate in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (I used a cake pan). Cook until liquid and the color of toffee or peanut butter, about 1 hour 20 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. The mixture may stiffen or separate, but should come back together after some stirring. If it cooks to the point it will not come back together by stirring, process in a blender or food processor until smooth.

In a medium pot, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the caramelized white chocolate, reduce to low heat, and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the salt and serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

Serves 6

Enjoy the rest of 2015, and try to find some time to savory something sweet…preferably with someone sweet. (<—kids count!)