Hot Chocolate

Nothing says "comfort" quite like a delicious mug of hot chocolate! It's a delicious blend of sweetness & richness.
Ingredients (serves 2)
4 tbsp solid chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk (nonfat to cream, as rich as you prefer)
2 tbsp Cream (optional)
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of cinnamon powder
1-2 tsp sugar (optional & according to taste)

Method
Using a sharp knife (serrated knives work well for this task), chop the chocolate into chunks. The finer the chop, the quicker the chocolate will melt.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate with 1 cup milk, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is fully melted.
Don't leave the stove unattended because milk & chocolate can burn easily.
Add cream (if using) to the chocolate & stir.
Add any additional flavorings to the ganache while stirring in the cream.
Add the remainder of the milk, whisking continuously.
If the mixture becomes too hot, or you feel that it might burn, remove pot from the heat and continue to stir, allowing the temperature to reduce.
Put the pot back on the heat once the mixture has cooled.
Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Served in small cups or large mugs.

Tips
* If you feel you might burn the chocolate on direct flame, use double boil method.
* Optional flavourings, such as vanilla, herbs, and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg give nice notes to the finished drink), liqueur, mint etc.
* If you start with chocolate at the sweetness you prefer, you do not need to add additional sugar.
* You can also start with unsweetened chocolate, & add sugar to taste.
* In place of solid chocolate, you can use 1/4 cup of cocoa powder + 1/4 cup sugar.