Velvety, rich, decadent, spicy drinking chocolate. It's more than a drink - it's dessert!

How could you go wrong?

I discovered this stuff a few years ago thanks to some friends and a wonderful little place here in Louisville called Coco's Chocolate Cafe. This is my version of their signature drink. Feel free to dress it down or up based on your personal preferences. :D

If you're curious about how good it is - I'm lactose intolerant, but I will have a bit of it when I make it. It's so delicious I'm willing to suffer the consequences.

Step 1: Ingredients and Supplies!

one cup milk
one cup heavy cream
1/4 cup heavy cream for making whipped cream
salt
sugar
cayenne pepper or chili powder
one 3.5 oz bar dark chocolate, broken into squares or large bits

Note that you can use only milk - it just won't be quite as velvety. Also, chili powder tastes the best, but I tend to use cayenne for maximum spiciness. Sugar in this recipe is all about your personal taste.

Step 2: Warm the Milk and Cream.

Pour the milk and cream into a small saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Really, the lower the better... you do not want to scald or boil the milk.

You'll want to stir it every few minutes until you begin to see tin bubbles forming around the edges and steam coming from the pot.

Step 3: Make the Whipped Cream.

Add 1/4 cup of whipping cream to a bowl, about 1 tbsp of sugar, and whisk your arm off.

This is a great thing to do while waiting on the milk to get hot... just make sure to take a break from whisking every so often to stir the milk.

The pictures show the process.

Step 4: Add the Chocolate to the Hot Milk & Cream.

Add the chocolate little by little into the cream, lowering the heat if necessary to keep it from boiling, stirring or whisking constantly.

When done it should look like the last photo.

Step 5: Add Salt, Sugar and Cayenne or Chili Powder!

Add a good pinch of salt, a pinch of your preferred spice, and about 1 tbsp of sugar to start.

Mix all those in, and give it a taste. I normally add more cayenne and a bit more sugar - it all depends on how dark your chocolate is.

Step 6: Serve!

Pour into cups and devour!

If you have some espresso cups, you should definitely use those. It's hard to drink very much of this because it's so rich. Based on how big your cups are, you can serve 4-8 people.

Top with whipped cream and put the sugar out for those who like their drinks sweeter.

Step 7: Update: Stores Well in the Fridge!

Normally, there are no leftovers. But when you makes this for just a couple of people, there's tons!

I was able to store this in the fridge for three days and it still tasted great and reheated well. Plus, when it's chilled it turns into a slightly runny pudding, and it's delicious that way too. :D