Cocoa Blocks

What are cocoa blocks? I saw this recipe in the latest King Arthur Flour catalog and immediately ripped out the page. Good chocolate melted with condensed milk, cream and a few more ingredients make a truffle like block that you add to hot milk and presto - instant hot chocolate. I thought these not only would make an amazingly neighborly gift but also a great thing to keep around here for the at home hot cocoa lovers. I continue my childhood tradition of good, homemade hot cocoa served alongside crusty buttered toast for breakfast now and then.




The original recipe has the blocks placed on a stick so the cocoa lover can swirl the chocolate to melt into the hot milk. I had issues with this and changed it up a bit. 1) While swirling a huge hunk of truffley good chocolate into milk to melt sounds like a good idea if I handed said hunk of chocolate to my children I would return to find a cup full of warm milk and a hunk of chocolate ingested in one bite. 2) The chocolate melts better if heated with the milk as it is a pretty sizable chunk. So I will eliminate the stick for next time.

Cocoa Blocks
adapted from King Arthur Flour

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk, 14oz
3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (or you can use bars)
3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 hefty pinches of kosher salt

unsweetened cocoa powder


First prep the pan, you'll need an 8x8" pan. I line mine with foil that I then butter and the easiest way I've found to mold foil for a pan is to use the pan as the mold. Just flip the pan over upside down.




Smush a sheet of foil over the pan molding it over the corners.




Remove the foil, flip the pan over and insert your molded foil. Smush the corners to fit then butter heavily.




In a medium sauce pan mix your condensed milk and heavy cream. Heat over low heat until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.




Once the milk mixture is heated, remove from the burner and add the chocolate. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The chocolate will begin to melt.




Give it a stir and if there are unmelted pieces of chocolate place over low heat and stir to finish melting. At first it will look separated like this.




But after melting completely it will look like this delicious pot of chocolate. Now is the time to flavor.




My flavorings of choice. Homemade vanilla and kosher salt since I've never had hot cocoa without salt to add balance to the sweetness. Stir it in.




Then spread that heavenly mixture into your buttered pan. Set it aside in a safe place (preferably out of sight of curious fingers) and let it set overnight.




Once set the mixture will have a matte surface and be firm yet easy to slice.






Lift the square of chocolate out of the pan using the foil and then cut into 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" blocks with a knife dipped in hot water between cuts.




Now prep some cocoa powder in a bowl and your sticks if you wish to use them.






Skewer a block onto a stick and then dip in the cocoa powder.




I highly suggest you try one of these alone. It tastes like a truly decadent truffle.




I tucked mine into a zip top bag and store them in the fridge which should keep them for about a month. For longer storage you'll need to freeze them.




Now, for their true purpose. Think of these as hot cocoa bouillon cubes. Pour yourself a cup (8oz) of milk per cube. For one serving an individual mug and the microwave works fine. For more I'd do it in a saucepan on the stovetop.




Plop in a cube of chocolate.




Then nuke until the milk is screaming hot which will melt the chocolate. You'll want to stir it at least once and then nuke some more if it hasn't finished melting. Creamy, already sweetened hot chocolate.




Of course, what's hot cocoa without whipped cream? I know some people love marshmallows but for me it's whipped cream all the way. Then sit back and sip on your warm mug of chocolate.