Homemade cappuccino and hot chocolate recipes: Day 13

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Well, even if this snow storm wasn’t worthy of calling in the army to dig Toronto out, we still felt like we needed a little warm-me-up from having been outside trudging through the snow. And it doesn’t even have to be cold out to give in to Homemade cappuccino or Homemade hot chocolate cravings, right? You’ll find these warm drink recipes listed in the Valentine’s Day-worthy menu suggestions at the back of the cookbook.   

Homemade cappuccino:

We do not have an espresso machine nor a cappuccino maker, so discovering this simple and pain-free way to make homemade cappuccino got me really excited. I purchased a litre of skim milk, picked up a little whisk, set the coffee maker to brew and made my way over to the microwave. One minute and 20 seconds later, I squealed with delight (or was the squealing coming from our toddler?) as I watched the whisk spin between my palms and stir up a beautiful white froth that would soon be crowning a cappuccino, along with a light sprinkling of cinnamon and cocoa powder. I swear this was faster and easier than standing in line staring at a pinny-wearing twenty-something yelling out drink orders in mock Italian. And I always prefer my hot beverages in a mug to a paper cup anyway.   

Homemade hot chocolate:

If you’re craving chocolate more than caffeine than this easy recipe will warm your insides in minutes. Simmering a few slices of fresh ginger in the milk added a nice subtle flavour to the hot chocolate. And it’s true: no marshmallow required. I think this recipe can be easily altered to suit varying tastes: more cocoa and less sugar for someone looking for a stronger cocoa flavour; a splash of rum or perhaps even an Irish cream or orange liqueur for an after-dinner drink; or a pinch or two of cayenne pepper for those who like their chocolate a little on the spicy side. Well, winter isn’t over so I’ll likely be serving up more hot chocolate in the next month or two!