Barefoot Contessa (en-US)

2 ½ cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 candy canes or peppermint candy sticks, divided
Sweetened Whipped Cream (recipe follows)

Heat the milk and half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat to just below simmering. Off the heat, add the bittersweet and semisweet chocolates and whisk until the chocolates melt. Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla, reheat over low heat, and pour into cups or mugs.

Meanwhile, place four of the candy canes in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Stir ½ tablespoon of the crushed candy canes into each cup, top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and sprinkle the whipped cream with more crushed candy cane. Add a whole candy cane stirrer into each mug and serve hot.

NOTE:

The better the chocolate, the better the drink. I use Lindt, Callebaut, or Valrhona chocolates

Sweetened Whipped Cream (Makes enough for 6 mugs of hot chocolate)

1½ cups cold heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed only until the cream makes soft peaks. If you over-whip it, you can add more cream and whip it again until it makes soft peaks.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate