Have the cooking chocolate cut into fine bits, and put it in a small heavy pan; add the sugar and water, and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
4 cups milk
2 ounces chocolate for cooking, cut into fine bits or shreded
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1. Mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of milk. Put the remainder of the milk in the double-boiler and bring to boil.
2. When the milk comes to the boiling point, stir in the cornstarch and cook for ten minutes.
3. Have the cooking chocolate cut into fine bits, and put it in a small heavy pan; add the sugar and water, and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
4. Add hot chocolate mixture to the hot milk, and beat the mixture with a whisk until it is frothy. The prepared chocolate milk may be poured back and forth from the double-boiler to a serving pitcher, holding high the vessel from which you pour. This will give a thick froth.
5. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.
NOTE: If you prefer not to have the chocolate milk thick, omit the cornstarch.
Beneficial Effects of Dark Chocolate
The body of short term randomized feeding trials suggests cocoa and chocolate may exert beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk via effects on lowering blood pressure, antiinflammation, anti-platelet function, higher HDL, decreased LDL oxidation. Additionally, a large body of trials of stearic acid suggests it is indeed cholesterol neutral. However, epidemiologic studies of serum and dietary stearic acid are inconclusive due to many methodologic limitations. Meanwhile, the large body of prospective studies of flavonoids suggests the flavonoid content of chocolate may reduce risk of cardiovascular mortality. Our updated meta-analysis indicates that intake of flavonoids may lower risk of CHD mortality, RR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.71–0.92) comparing highest and lowest tertiles. Read more...