Toasted Coconut Hot Cocoa

This is such a simple recipe, technically like 3 ingredients (two if you don't add sugar) so the quality of ingredients and flavors can stand on their own. Get the good stuff!

The coconut: 

Whats better than an obsessive love of coconut? Finding out my favorite coconut milk brand makes coconut powder! Which, when toasted becomes a lovely golden yellow color with a sweet, nuttiness that is unique to toasted coconut. I use Chaokoh brand, sometimes found at the local grocery (comes in a brown can with white lettering), from Thailand, or local Asian grocery. You can order this stuff online too. I've even seen it in big bags, rather than these little cans I've got. If you're making a lot, go for the big bag.

Spread the powder in an even layer on a cookie sheet.
Set your oven's temperature to 300F and a timer for two minutes. (This stuff WILL BURN if you walk away from it. It's dehydrated milk!

)
Stir gently after two minutes and mix (mix outside in, to keep the edges from getting too brown and the middle still raw) and rotate your pan. Trust your nose, too, if it starts smelling really toasty, get in there and stir it.
After a few minutes of babying it, it'll be a lovely golden yellow color with some brown flecks and have the texture of sand. Let cool completely.

The cocoa:

 I love, love, loooove dark chocolate. But trust me that using 100% quality dark chocolate isnt your best option here. Mixing it with another cocoa powder not only makes it go farther (the good stuff is expensive!) but also gives you a better depth of flavor.
I Mix 1:1 - a good dark cocoa with another regular cocoa. For example, I used Hershey's special dark blend along with good ol' Nestle cocoa powder.

The sugar:

I had Turbinado on hand so I used that - similar to Sugar in the Raw.
I've read some people use Powdered Sugar, which may add a nice thickness to your drink, but its extra sweet so you may need to half the amount (personally, I hate the texture. Just me. It's like chalk. Don't judge...)
But, although I have not tested this theory yet, I think using dehydrated honey would add a beautiful luxurious sweetness to your cocoa. It comes in these crispy golden brown granules that melt in your mouth.
Another option may be just skipping the sweetener entirely and let people add their own to taste.
But, by all means, if you like white sugar, use white. It's all you, baby.


Toasted Coconut Hot Cocoa Mix
Makes about three 6oz jars of hot cocoa mix

2 cups cocoa powder (1:1 mixture dark and regular)
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup toasted coconut powder (see above)
big pinch of salt
tiny pinch of cayenne (trust me, do it!)

Whisk everything together in a big bowl to combine.
Transfer to gift jars.

Instead of getting those heavy glass jam jars, I found plastic freezer-jam jars at my grocery. I like them because the lids won't rust and you can clean them to reuse.
I did a little label on my jars with paint markers. I think its authentic and handmade looking with my terrible penmanship! Litte red bells with bows are so festive!
Add instructions on the back: "2 Tablespoons per 8oz cup of hot water or milk."

For a fancy twist, add a tablespoon of cinnamon and a tablespoon of espresso powder.
 Or go all in and toast some garam masala spices!