SPIKED French Style HOT CHOCOLATE TODDY Cocktail

This is my spiked version of real hot chocolate made in the French style hot chocolate found in cafés like the famous Café Angelina in Paris. If you think of hot chocolate as a powdered cocoa mixture (which is hot cocoa), you are in for a fantastic surprise.
The French serve a true hot chocolate, called chocolate chaud, that is a divine mixture of actual dark chocolate pieces melted down into a drinkable chocolate by stirring in warmed milk and cream and adding either brown sugar or a sweetened whipped cream, usually on the side so you can sweeten to your taste. They also use a very high quality dark chocolate, a minimum of 70% cacao and a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. Then they serve this insanely fantastic mixture to you in a demitasse.
This is the way hot chocolate was originally made before the advent of cocoa powders and it's still the superior hot chocolate. Trust me, it's not yo' mama's hot cocoa!
I took this decadence and added booze. It's the only thing that could make it better.

The HOT CHOCOLATE TODDY
INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Bulleit “95” Rye Small Batch Whiskey 1/4 Oz. Grand Marnier 1/2 C. Whole Milk 1/4 C. Heavy Cream 5 Oz. High Quality 80% Dark Chocolate Curls
Garnish: Whiskey Infused Whipped Cream (Follow my recipe for Homemade Alcohol Infused Whipped Cream), Chocolate Shavings and Grated Orange Peel
DIRECTIONS Make the whipped cream, set aside in the refrigerator. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off 5 ounces worth of strips of the dark chocolate. Add the chopped chocolate to your cup. Warm the liquors in the microwave for 30 seconds then stir into the chocolate curls. Gently heat the heavy cream and whole milk to just before boiling. Pour the heated milk and cream over the warmed chocolate and spirits. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Top with the boozy whipped cream and the other garnishes. Be sure to serve it with a spoon.
I have done this several times, often switching out the Grand Marnier for another flavored liqueur. My favorites were: Kahlua, I replaced the grated orange with a dusting of espresso powder. Chambord, left the grated orange and added a couple of fresh raspberries. Wine, used a fruity merlot then served it with dark chocolate, Dark Chocolate Cabernet Truffles*.
I even tried it once with a good quality white chocolate, coconut rum and toasted coconut chips as garnish.
Yes, you can make this vegan using full fat coconut milk, vegan dark chocolate and coconut whipped cream.
* I knew you'd want that recipe:
Dark Chocolate Cabernet TrufflesIngredients 9 Oz. 70% Dark Chocolate, Chopped 1/2 C. Heavy Cream 5 Tbsp. Cabernet Sauvignon 1 C. Dark Cocoa Powder
Directions Add the cocoa powder to a small bowl and set aside. Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles just start to form.  Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until completely smooth and melted. Stir in the wine. Chill the ganache mixture in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Scoop out a portion with the large side of a melon baller into your hands and roll into a ball. Drop the truffle ball into the cocoa powder, roll until well covered. Refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving, allowing truffles to reach room temperature.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY