Holiday Drinks

London Snow from the Lion's Den

Ingredients

  • Peppermint Tea
  • Milk of choice

Optional Ingredients

  • Vanilla syrup
  • Candy Cane

Directions

  1. Take your peppermint tea bag and place it in your cup or mug.
  2. Fill the cup or mug with enough hot water to submerge the tea bag.
  3. Allow the tea to steep for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Optional: Add vanilla syrup:
    • Small: 2 pumps (0.5 oz)
    • Medium: 3 pumps (0.75 oz)
    • Large: 4 pumps (1 oz)

  5. Steam your milk of choice.
  6. Fill the remainder of the cup with steamed milk leaving the teabag in.
  7. Optional: Stir with a candy cane!
  8. Enjoy!

Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • Dash salt
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • 4 cups milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Miniature marshmallows, sweetened whipped cream or cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt.
  2. Add water, and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in milk, then heat to serving temperature (do not boil).
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Stir in vanilla, and whisk until frothy.
  6. If desired, garnish with marshmallows, cream or cinnamon sticks.

For Swiss Mocha Cocoa: Add 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee with vanilla.

For Canadian Cocoa: Add 1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring with vanilla.

For Slim-Trim Cocoa: Omit sugar. Combine cocoa, salt and water. Substitute fat-free milk. Proceed as above. Stir in vanilla with artificial sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar.

Arroz Con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

Ingredients

  • 7 cups water
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • One 4-inch cinnamon stick
  • One 12-ounce can evaporate milk
  • One 14-ounce can condense milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins
  • Ground cinnamon (for dusting)

Directions

  1. Put the water, rice, and cinnamon stick in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat.
  2. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes.
  3. Strain out the liquid, discard the cinnamon and reserve the rice. Return the rice to the saucepan.
  4. Stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk.
  5. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
  6. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick, about 20 minutes.
  7. Add the raisins and stir well.
  8. Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl. Dust the top of the pudding with ground cinnamon and serve.

Barbajada (Milanese Hot Chocolate-Coffee Drink)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (3/4 ounce; 25g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (2 ounces; 55g)
  • 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) milk
  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) strong coffee or expresso
  • Whipped cream (for serving)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together cocoa powder and sugar until thoroughly combined.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat milk over moderate heat until steaming.
  3. Whisk in cocoa / sugar mixture along with coffee, whisking rapidly until hot and frothy.
  4. Divide into warmed mugs and top with whipped cream.