Not that there's anything wrong with warming up with whiskey, of course. But sometimes a rich, cozy, hot drink on a cold hike is all you need, and more. I don't regularly backpack in winter temperatures, but a recent trip to the Indian Heaven Wilderness was one of my coldest trips to date. Temperatures overnight were well below freezing, and plunged quickly as the sun went down. I was backpacking alone (and flask-less), so I chose what I thought might be the third best way to stay happy and warm in the backcountry: making UNBELIEVABLY good hot chocolate on my little alcohol stove. Forget the chalky packets of hot cocoa you can buy at the grocery store: this is a dry cocoa mix for chocolate lovers. Made with ground high-quality chocolate bars, this mix packs deep chocolate flavor and an indulgent calorie count, making it an ideal treat for the trail. The original recipe calls for whole milk, but I've adapted it to incorporate powdered milk to make it a backpacker-friendly concoction. You can also substitute powdered coconut milk if you are dairy-free, although the measurement of coconut milk powder may need adjusting depending on which type you are using. If you have a food processor, this mix is a breeze to make. (And I'd still argue it's worth it even if you have to chop or grate the chocolate by hand.) The mix also makes a wonderful holiday gift! Give it a try to treat both yourself and your nearest and dearest this winter. Happy trails! Backcountry Hot Chocolate Mix Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it a little from Cook’s Illustrated Yield: Enough for 9 cups of cocoa 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped 1/2 cup (40 g) cocoa powder 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or scrape a tiny piece of a fresh vanilla bean. You're so FANCY.) 1/4 tsp kosher salt The easiest way to do this is to combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until powdery. And that's it! If you don’t have a food processor, you can also simply chop or grate the chocolate as finely as you can stand to do it, and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Store the mixture in an airtight container. If you're drinking your cocoa at home (gotta sample it first, right?), heat one cup of milk in a saucepan over medium to low heat until it's steaming. (Deb notes that non-dairy milks like coconut or almond will also work here.) Add 3 tablespoons of the hot chocolate mix and whisk on the heat for a minute or so. When the mix is completely dissolved, pour into mug and enjoy! Taking that cocoa to go? Before you leave for the trail, measure out 3 tablespoons of mix for each 8 ounce-ish serving you want to have on hand. Add in 3 tablespoons of dry milk powder per serving and mix well. Put each serving into a snack-size ziploc. On trail, heat a scant cup of water until hot but not simmering. Stir in one ziploc of backcountry hot chocolate mix until the mix dissolves. Don't let it simmer - I found it useful to take the pot on and off the heat as needed. Want to add a twist? Add dashes of chile powder, cinnamon and cayenne for Mexican Hot Chocolate; use mint extract instead of vanilla (it's the ultralight way to bring along a candy cane); or make it a mocha by adding a few tablespoons of espresso powder to the original batch of mix.
1 Comment
7/23/2019 12:41:05 am
Whiskey is my preferred drink after work. Well, it is not easy to be in a work that you do not like. For the most part of my life, I have been working for a company that I truly hate. I am not good at my job, which is why I do not get any promotions. I have been working here for a lot of years, and even to this day, I cannot quit. A shot of whiskey is the only thing that I look forward to.
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