Peppermint Truffle Hot Cocoa

I did exactly one crafty gift thing year.  I didn't plan on it but I saw a post about hot cocoa mix and we've been drinking a lot of hot cocoa lately.  Something about it is quite comforting and Christmasy.  I tried a couple of different homemade mix recipes and didn't like them.  I'm a milk chocolate kinda person in most cases, so I wanted something creamy and sweet that tasted like dessert.  I made up a batch of the Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix and poured it into mason jars to pass out to…whoever.  It never hurts to have a cute hostess gift on hand, right?  This dry mix is probably as close as you'll get to that ideal hot cocoa flavor.

I plan on baking some cookies on Monday to go with them. Something white chocolate, oatmeal, and cranberry might go well with the hot cocoa, don't you think?

In my attempt to not really bake this year, I decided to try my hand at chocolate truffles instead.  Halfway through the project, I lost interest.  I let the pan sit in the fridge for a couple of days.  Scott kept asking if it was ready.  I said that it's not like it's fudge and you won't like it and seriously, don't just take a bite.  

I decided that the perfect touch of richness for some hot cocoa might just be a chunk o' truffle.  I've put Hershey's Kisses in cocoa before.  Why not a peppermint truffle?

I highly recommend this method!  It gets you closer to the dessert-like feel of actual hot chocolate, which is different from hot cocoa.  It would be a fun addition to a holiday party or dinner buffet.  You could experiment with different flavors too.

I used this truffle recipe and added in peppermint extract.  Instead of rolling into balls, I kept the mixture spread very thinly in a glass pan to harden.  I broke off chunks like you would with a bark.  Just add 1/3 cup of the hot cocoa mixture, a small chunk of truffle, and pour 8 oz. of hot water over the top.  You barely need to stir!

I apologize here.  Filters are your friend in bad lighting.

If you're looking for some Christmas cookie inspiration, here are my very favorites.  Maybe I'll make one next week.  You know, because it's Christmas.

Peppermint Fudge
Peppermint Cake Pops 
Eggnog Snickerdoodles
Payday Bars
Hershey's Kiss Cookies
Soft Sugar Cookies (with tutorial for decorating)
Apricot Squares
Eggnog Bread