More Chanukah Chocolate: Cupcake Day & Gelt

There are eight days of Chanukah, so it's not too late to mention two of the more interesting blogs and recipes about Chocolate Chanukah that I've seen this week. The first is Chanukah specific, but the second you can enjoy any time. You don't have to be Jewish.

Today happens to be National Cupcake Day, so this is the perfect blog for today! Cupcakes take the Cake is a really fun site for cupcakes: for photos, for news, for links, for reviews! Everything and anything cupcake. Be sure and add this to your Blog Roll. But back to Chanukah. This week they blogged about another Blog: King Arthur Flour's Bakers' Banter. Now I think King Arthur Flour is great. It's a step above your regular baking flours, and I love their Blog. Lots of great recipes. But back to Chanukah. There's a really innovative post on a Cupcake Menorah with gorgeous cupcakes, cool wrappers and great concept. So much fun for the holiday! Of course, if I were to make this, the cupcakes would all be chocolate! The King Arthur Blog also has a cool video on how to decorate cupcakes. For more info, go HERE. Since there are eight days of Chanukah, you'll need two cupcakes for the first day, three for the second, etc. You'll need six today. How fun! Any good chocolate cupcake recipe will do. It's all in the icing, the cute wrappers and the concept!

You can never have enough Gelt (money), but when it's Chocolate Gelt (gold foil wrapped chocolate coins for Chanukah), sometimes you actually do have too much. What to do with left-over Gelt? Rhea Kennedy tells us on MyJewishLearning.com: Make Hot Chocolate! What a great idea. I especially like her recipe for Spicy Hot Chocolate. This is more of a South American Hot Chocolate than Mexican Hot Chocolate, and it will work with any leftover chocolate you have lying around. Should have added this to National Cocoa Day.

Spicy Chanukah Gelt Hot Chocolate

1/2-1 cup leftover Chanukah gelt (or other chocolate candy), at room temperature, chopped
2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup water
1 pinch, or to taste, each of ground cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves
½ tsp. vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the milk until just steaming. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir with a fork or wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. If the chocolate isn't dissolving, return the saucepan to the stove and stir constantly over very low heat, or heat in a double boiler. Continue until completely blended and smooth.

Using the fork or whisk, gradually incorporate the rest of the milk and the water. Add the spices and vanilla extract. When the mixture is blended, heat over a medium burner until hot. To achieve a traditional South American scorched flavor, allow the milk to boil for a few seconds before allowing to cool slightly and serving.