October has arrived in Ephraim. The fields are cut back, the rows are quiet, and most mornings the bay comes in gray with a wind off the water that has a real bite to it. When someone comes in cold from the fields, this is the cup we make: our Lavender Cocoa Mix, made a little richer with whole milk, a square of good dark chocolate and a pinch of sea salt.
Farmhouse Lavender Hot Cocoa
Makes 2 mugs · 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons Island Lavender Lavender Cocoa Mix (2 1/2 tablespoons per mug)
- 2 cups whole milk (or oat milk for a dairy-free cup)
- 1 oz high-quality dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- 1 small pinch flaky sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- Fresh whipped cream, lightly sweetened, for topping
- A little shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting
Steps
- Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it steams and tiny bubbles form at the edges. Don't let it boil.
- Whisk in the Lavender Cocoa Mix, 2 1/2 tablespoons per mug, until smooth.
- Add the chopped dark chocolate and whisk for about a minute, until it melts and the cocoa looks glossy.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the sea salt and vanilla.
- Taste. If you'd like more lavender, add another teaspoon of mix. If you'd like it richer, add a little more chocolate.
- Pour into warm mugs, top with whipped cream and finish with a dusting of shaved chocolate.
Make it your own
- White cocoa version: use white chocolate instead of dark and add a drop of vanilla. (Our Lavender White Cocoa is available in our shop in Ephraim only; it's not sold online right now.)
- After the kids are in bed: add a splash of bourbon or Door County cherry liqueur.
- For a crowd: multiply the recipe and keep it warm on low in a slow cooker, stirring now and then.
Stay warm
The lavender stays soft and floral in the background, never soapy, and the chocolate does the rest. Each bag of Lavender Cocoa Mix ($18.95) makes eight 8 oz cups, made with lavender from our own fields in Ephraim. That's enough to get you to the first snow, and it makes a lovely hostess gift once the holiday invitations start arriving.
Stay warm, and save us a seat by the fire.
Christian & the Island Lavender by Wilder team
P.S. Making it entirely from scratch? Use your own cocoa and sugar and add 1/8 teaspoon of our Lavender Extract ($9.95) per mug. Start small, because a little goes a long way.
