Photo: Susanna Bolle

We recently visited chefs and co-owners Tse Wei Lim and Diana Kudayarova of Journeyman in Somerville to get some hot chocolate secrets.  What better day to try them out?  Enjoy! (and stay warm).

Journeyman Hot Chocolate

4 oz, ea, whole milk & heavy cream or 8 oz half-and-half
2 oz chocolate, in small pieces
pinch salt

Notes:
This recipe can be scaled to any volume; the trick is in the proportion, 1 chocolate : 4 dairy.
We make our half and half ourselves, but you can buy it at the store.
The better the chocolate you use, the better the final hot chocolate will taste. We recommend using a chocolate that is above 60% cocoa; at the restaurant we use Valrhona chocolate in the Manjari or Tainori blends for our hot chocolate.
We recommend cooling the hot chocolate overnight and reheating it to serve; this allows the flavors to mix and mellow, and also creates a better texture.

Combine milk & cream in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, to a simmer.

Add a pinch of salt, turn the heat down to low, and begin whisking. Slowly add in the chocolate, whisking constantly. You may need to scrape down the sides of the pan periodically to make sure that everything is combined and evenly heated. Continue whisking the hot chocolate over low heat until you can no longer see specks of chocolate on the sides of the pan as you stir and the mixture appears completely homogeneous.

When the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated, pour into a bowl set over an ice bath to chill (or just stash it in the refrigerator). To reheat, return to the saucepan, and heat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired temperature.

More

• Journeyman’s Tse Wei Lim and Diana Kudayarova are PRK’s newest contributors.  They’ll be sharing their adventures, wisdom, mishaps, and victories every month.  You can read their first post HERE.