Ina Garten's Frozen Hot Chocolate + {Two Favorite Chilly Delights}

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They fell in love over a glass of Frozen Hot Chocolate. We fell in love with Frozen Hot Chocolate. This scene not only made the restaurant Serendipity famous, but it also made Frozen Hot Chocolate famous. For years I wanted to go to New York City and enjoy my very own glass of Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, just like John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in the movie.

 When I finally made it to New York City, I didn't get a chance to go to Serendipity. There were way too many other things to see and do. Maybe next time. For now, Ina Garten's take on Frozen Hot Chocolate will have to do.

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Frozen hot chocolate is made by mixing melted chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, and half and half and then blending this mixture with whole milk, vanilla, ice, and coffee liqueur. Sounds like some rich and heavenly indulgent ingredients, and it is.

However, I was in a hurry and I never second guess Ina, so I bought the ingredients for this without giving the recipe any thought. Ina called for bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, and only a tablespoon and a half of sugar. I should have paid attention. My son took one sip and spit it out. It was way too bitter for him. My daughter took one sip and fell in love with it. She loves dark chocolate, and coffee, and this drink was very reminiscent of both. She enjoyed her glass, and my son's. I added a touch more sugar for me and my husband and we ended up enjoying ours.

This really is a tasty decadent sipper, but I urge you think about your chocolate preference before making it. If I were making this drink for a group of younger kids, then I might use milk chocolate. If I were making this drink for anyone in general, my go to would be semisweet chocolate. Apparently Ina uses bittersweet. To each their own.

On another note, Ina's recipe says this serves four. It does serve four, if you can stomach a 10-ounce glass of something so rich and decadent.  I say it easily serves eight. I don't think there's anyway four people could drink a whole batch. So, do yourself a favor and halve the recipe, or make the whole recipe, and save half the mixture for another time.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Adapted from Cooking For Jeffrey

by Ina Garten

Serves 8*

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate*

1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1-12 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup half and half

1-1/2 cups whole milk

4 tablespoons coffee liqueur

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups ice

sweetened whipped cream, for serving

mini chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, chocolate curls, for garnish

 straws

Note: This recipe was written to serve four people a 10 ounce serving. I think this serving size is way too much for something so rich. I'd say you could easily serve this to 8 people, possibly more. In addition, and most importantly, be sure to think about your chocolate preference prior to making this. I'd say most people would prefer using semisweet chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate was way too bitter for 3 of the 4 people in my household. If you're using the chocolate of your preference then you can't go wrong. This is a great treat!

Break the bittersweet chocolate into pieces and place it in a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until just melted. Off the heat, whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, and half and half and set aside.

Place 3/4 cup of the milk, 2 tablespoons of the coffee liqueur, 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla, and half of the chocolate mixture in a blender. Add 2 cups of the ice and blend for several minutes, until the mixture is thick but not icy, like a frozen daiquiri (you can add more milk or ice if it's too thick or too thin). Pour into two (10-ounce) ice cream soda glasses and top each with a generous dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate garnish. Repeat for the second two glasses. Serve ice cold with straws and long-handled spoons.

Creamy Mango Ice

Since we're celebrating chilly delights at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week I thought I'd share my two favorite, and extremely REFRESHING, treats with you! This creamy mango ice should come with a warning. It's that good. I still remember the day I made this. I kept going back to the freezer with my spoon and taking a bite. I couldn't stay away because it was so creamy, and sweet, and refreshing. When the ice was "all done" setting up in the freezer there was only enough left for a picture.

Fresh Lime Ice with Berries

Because the Creamy Mango Ice was so crazy good, I also made Bayless' Fresh Lime Ice with Berries on a sweltering hot July day. Will it confuse you when I say that this Fresh Lime Ice was more refreshing than the Creamy Mango, but I liked the Creamy Mango Ice better? In the end I suppose it comes down to which fruit you like best!

Speaking of fruit, I encourage you to head over to Rick Bayless' website where you'll find even more refreshing ice recipes like Coconut, Avocado, Watermelon-Raspberry, and Prickly Pear. You can't go wrong as these are the ultimate in refreshing!