Red Velvet Hot Chocolate

Happy Valentine's Day! I do not come to you today with tips for a romantic evening with your honey. But if you'd like to share some love with your girlfriends in the form of fluffy pink marshmallow hearts, cookies, and cream puffs, you're in luck! That's just what we're serving in the Coppertop Kitchen today.





The genius of this idea is in the whipped cream. Truth time: red velvet is not really a flavor. It's all in your head. If you close your eyes and bite into a red velvet cupcake, it will taste like... chocolate! It's the cream cheese frosting that sets it apart. So that's what we did! Hot chocolate with a splash of red food coloring, topped with tangy-sweet cream cheese whipped cream and a pink marshmallow heart, for maximum cutesy-ness.

By the way, pink marshmallow hearts have the following message on the package:

"A fat free food! Great for snacking!"

...I ask you.



These cream puffs are from Chicago company Puffs of Doom. Yum!




Red Velvet Hot Chocolate with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

For the hot chocolate:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
a dash of salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red food coloring

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add hot water, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Place pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then whisk in milk. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir occasionally until hot and steaming. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and food coloring. Serve with cream cheese whipped cream.

For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat until fluffy.

Yield: six servings