I got pretty desperate for chocolate during last year’s no-sugar-November, and even the super-dark dark chocolate bars contained sugar. I was lucky enough to run across this intriguing “brewing chocolate” from Crio Bru at one of those shmancy SF corner grocery stores. You were supposed to brew it like coffee, but lacking much coffee brewing experience or equipment, I made it more like chai tea with milk boiled in with the water. The result is, in my opinion, rich and chocolatey and better than regular hot chocolate. I was surprised that it works with so much water (I find those just-add-water instant cocoa packets watery and gross), but the amount of cocoa butter left in the ground beans must help!

Instructions

Bring 8oz (1 cup) of water to a boil.

Lower heat and add 2 tablespoons of ground cocoa beans. Simmer for about 4 minutes.

Add 4oz (1/2 cup) of milk. Bring back to almost boiling, then remove from heat.

Strain and enjoy!

Some folks have also been cold-brewing this stuff. The ones I’ve seen are grinding their own beans, so I’ll add that it also works with the Crio Bru and is very, very good.

Slightly unrelated but on the chocolate theme: I took my sister to Dandelion Chocolate‘s** wine and chocolate tasting event last year for her birthday. It was so good I literally cried. If you splurge on a single thing in SF (and like chocolate, but I suppose you wouldn’t be reading this if not) I would make it this event.

Also on the theme: why is Peets’ hot chocolate so awful??? This post is turning out to be full of opinions…