Decadent Hot Chocolate

When it's cool out, warm up with a cup of hot chocolaty goodness. This recipe has 50% fewer calories, 77% less fat and 20% more calcium than the original recipe.

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons granulated (white) sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
2 1/2 cups fat-free (skim) milk
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cocoa. Stir in milk and half-and-half until blended. Cook and stir over medium heat until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Add chocolate chips; stir constantly with wire whisk until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. To serve, pour hot chocolate into 4 cups.

Estimated Time

Preparation/Total Time: 10 minutes

Additional Information

Unsweetened cocoa is the secret to the rich chocolate flavor in this healthier version. And the fat-free half-and-half provides texture and richness without adding any fat.

You can easily substitute 1 1/2 ounces of chopped bittersweet or dark chocolate for the chocolate chips.

Serve the hot chocolate with cinnamon or peppermint sticks for stirring. Or make this cocoa extra indulgent by drizzling caramel ice cream topping on the inside of each cup before adding the hot chocolate.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving (1 Serving): Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 35), Total Fat 4 g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2 g, Trans Fat 0 g), Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 130 mg; Total Carbohydrate 25 g (Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 22 g), Protein 6 g; Exchanges: 1 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2

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