Some hot drinks, just for fun

Spring can sometimes have it's dreary, grey, cold days. On those days you want something to snuggle in with while you read your favorite book or while you watch movies/TV shows. So here is a collection of a few awesome hot drinks. These are instant mood lifters-so make these drinks when you are feeling a bit dejected and it cannot fail to lift your spirits. Watch out though-some of them are quite potent! If you are feeling utterly miserable, the only answer it top them off with whipped cream and sink into comfort oblivion. 
 

Hot Chai Milk Late 

Ingredients:

½ cup ginger root
4 sticks cinnamon
16 whole cloves
1 tbs. powdered cardamom
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. nutmeg
¼ cup sugar
1cup honey
8 cups boiling water
12 Darjeeling tea bags
8 cups hot milk1 cup rum (if making alcoholic version)

Method:

1. Combine ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla extract, nutmeg, sugar, and honey in a pot. Add water and tea bags and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. (Add rum and) strain.
3. Add hot milk and serve. 
4. Top with whipped cream if you like. 

Hot Cider Punch:

2 cups good quality apple cider

2 slices lemon 

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 cinnamon stick, crushed

3 cloves

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

3 oz. dark rum (if you are making this alcoholic) 

Method:

1. Put the hard cider, lemon slices, apple slices, cinnamon & cloves, sugar (and rum) in a saucepan. 
2. Heat the mixture gently until it just reaches boiling point. 
3. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes then remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes.
4. You can strain the liquid to get rid of the cinnamon and cloves before you serve and reserve the apple slices and lemon slices for garnish. 
5. Ladle into small heatproof glasses or cups to serve. 

John Nott's Wine Chocolate (for all the chocolate lovers out there):

-A little bit of trivia about this drink: it was created in 1726 by a pastry cook John Nott at Syon House in England (the country house of the Dukes of Northumberland). It is extremely rich, so serve in small quantities.

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups ruby port

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely grated

1/3 cup superfine sugar, or to taste 

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Method: 

1. Put all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and whisk well with a balloon whisk. 
2. Bring just to a boil, whisking constantly. 
3. Let cool slightly before pouring into small aperitif glasses to serve. 

Spiced Chile Coconut Milk:

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

2 cups coconut milk

1.5 tbsp soft brown sugar

2 star anise, lightly crushed

1 small red chile, halved lengthwise and seeded (if you don't want the chile just omit it)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Toasted shredded coconut to serve

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients, except the heavy cream, in a saucepan.
2. heat gently for 10 minutes then bring just to boiling point. 
3. Strain into 2 cups
4. Whip the cream until it holds it shape and spoon over the drinks. Sprinkle some toasted coconut shreds over top to serve. 

Warm Banoffi Smoothie:

Ingredients:

2 bananas

2 cups milk

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Caramel sauce to serve

Method:

1. Put all the bananas and milk in a blender or liquidizer and whizz until really smooth. 
2. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly, until it just reaches boiling point.
3. Transfer to heatproof glasses or cups, grade over a little nutmeg and add a swirl of caramel sauce.

White Chocolate Marshmallow Melt:

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

6 large marshmallows 

1 oz. white chocolate, broken into pieces.

Method: 

1. Put the milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan and heat gently until it comes to a boil. 
2. Remove from heat, pour milk into cups and top with the marshmallows. 
3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water or the chocolate will be spoiled). 
4. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the drinks and serve immediately. 

Bitter mood makes bitter food. So fucking smile! :D