Barcelona hot chocolate

A while ago, I saw a recipe from Cooking Light for "Barcelona hot chocolate".  I've never been to Barcelona and I wasn't familiar with the drink but, apparently, it refers to the combination of hot chocolate and espresso (or coffee) that's popular in Spain and Europe.  

Hot chocolate and coffee, infused with fresh orange, is wonderfully delicious

Well, as a girl who makes herself a mocha frappucino almost every morning, I was definitely interested in this combination.  In fact, I've also tried stirring cocoa powder into my hot coffee but could never quite get the ratio right.  

Since it is most definitely hot chocolate season, my Christmas mugs and cocoa-making equipment have been out and in use.  And because I couldn't really stop thinking about this Barcelona hot chocolate, I decided to give this somewhat more grown-up version of hot chocolate a try and I am really happy I did!

What's better than eating chocolate with your cup of hot chocolate

This recipe definitely has the ratios right, in my opinion.  It starts with making some delicious hot chocolate with a little bit of bittersweet chocolate, melted down with water, a couple spoonfuls of cocoa powder, and mixed with 1% low-fat milk.  The coffee (or espresso; I choose strong coffee) comes next, followed by some sweetness from a couple tablespoons of brown sugar.  That's not it...add a strip of orange rind and after about 5 minutes on the stovetop, you have this rich, full-flavored hot chocolate-coffee concoction that's infused with orange flavor!  It was a very pleasant surprise.

I topped my cups of Barcelona hot chocolate with some milk foam, latte style.  I have a very inexpensive handheld milk frother that does a very good and quick job of frothing up some warm milk.  I ladled a bit on top, dusted some cocoa powder over it, and added a little bit of orange zest to give you an idea of what's in the drink. 

It's so, so good.  You have rich hot chocolate, not overly sweet, blended with deep notes from coffee and made even more interesting and delicious with the orange flavor.  If this appeals to you, do give it a try! 

French toast with an orange twist

Maybe because I'm more of a morning person, I really love the first meal of the day.  On weekdays, my routine is usually a ham and egg sandwich or toasted English muffin with peanut butter, alongside a homemade mocha frap.  On weekends, it's nice to set the table (the little one does that, actually) and start the day lingering over breakfast.  The boys often enjoy a little something sweet.  Pancakes, in some form, are regularly on the menu and sometimes there's French toast.

I once heard someone, somewhere, say that the "secret ingredient" to everything is booze.  I don't drink a lot but I'm starting to think that's a very true statement.  Take this French toast.  Regular French toast is delicious as it is but add an element of citrus with not only fresh orange zest and juice but also some orange liqueur and you've got something special.

Of course, the little guy enjoyed his French toast minus the liqueur but I have to say it adds a nice punch here for the grownups.  The trick is not to overdo it because I find it can be bitter if used too generously.  

This orange French toast was part of the "baking bonus" segment of Martha Bakes that I watched recently.  I took the essential idea of adding the orange flavors but leaned on the lighter Cooking Light recipe that I'm partial to.  I use low-fat milk (and not too much because I like the flavor of the eggs to come through), just a touch of sugar, and bakery-style white bread, as opposed to richer brioche.

It was tasty...very tasty.  You know the magic orange zest imparts on baked goods and it does that to this French toast.  The orange liqueur heightens the flavor and the whole thing is refreshing and sweet - a lovely breakfast and good start to a weekend morning.  I love the sunny golden hue of French toast, particularly brightened here by the burst of orange.  

I'm all for the classics and occasionally trying different spins on them to keep things interesting.  It's not only fun to eat but keeps cooking interesting, I think.  This French toast is a good example.  It's something very familiar yet a little special for your weekend breakfast.