There are a few things I like to do when I visit a city that is new to me.  A couple weeks ago I was in New York for the first time for IACP – International Association of Culinary Professionals.  There are couple things I like to do when I go to a new city.  There first thing I like to do is get my camera out and walk the city.  I don’t think you can really see the city unless you do.  Well the only time I had for doing that with all the classes that I took was one evening.  I started in Times Square.

Both of these were taken and processed with my phone.  While there I saw the Hard Rock Cafe.  My husband and I have been collecting glasses from every place we visit that has one.  Its becoming quite a collection.  Not sure why we started it but the first one I remember was from when we got married so we have to keep it going right?  That is the second of my favorite things to do when I travel to a place I’ve never been.

I continued to wander and found Juniors where I had a cheese burger and a slice of cheese cake, of course!  I didn’t have a chance and I promised my husband and daughter not to do too many tourist things so it would be new to me when we all come together soon.  I made that promise a while ago because they would like to go with me to some of these wonderful places I get to visit.  So really that was the extent of my playing tourist.  But I digress!  Back to the best hot chocolate in New York City!

From Times Square I headed up through the theater district because the cashier at the Hard Rock Cafe said if I just go up a couple blocks there was this great place called Amy’s Bread and they had the best to be found in the city.  Little did I know that it would take me to Hell’s Kitchen.  It was pretty great but maybe that’s because the sun was down.  Anyway found the place.  I don’t have a real recipe for this but it couldn’t be easier.

First, steam 8 oz of whole milk.  Yes you can use skim but really you aren’t going to be drinking a ton of this so just go with the whole milk and enjoy the richness!

Next add 2-3 ounces of chocolate ganache – chocolate ganache is heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate.  You heat the heavy cream, do not boil.  Remove from heat and add chocolate.  If you allow it to cool completely you can scoop it out like in the picture.  Stir the ganache into the milk.

Pour into a small soup bowl – yes I drank this out of soup bowl and it was grand!  And don’t forget to add the fresh made marshmellows.  I’m usually not a fan of marshmellows but these were fantastic!

And there you have it!  The best hot chocolate ever made!  I will make this again here at home but I’ll wait until it cools down here.  Here is a little video I made of the lovely Sarah making this lovely treat for me and my friend, Cynthia Woodman of What a Girl Eats.

 
http://youtu.be/Z9YllLMHL5k
Heather