Okay, here is the recipe for that hot chocolate

Good morning from rainy New York, we have almost made it to the end of the year. Past relentless gift guides and end of year lists, through party season and unpleasantly cold (yet visually delightful) weather. We are almost home free to a week of quiet inboxes and staring into middle distance in bed for at least 23 minutes each morning, should we so choose to use our time that way (I will). A reminder: You’re doing great. 

As I mentioned last week, I sort of last minute decided to do my annual party, but we’re “doing things a little differently” this year. Have you dined with us before? The ham is designed to share, and we recommend 1–2 martinis per person. This year, it’s smaller. This year….it’s on a Sunday. This year…it’s a late afternoon into evening affair. This year, we said…bring your kids (but also feel free to not). 

If going on vacation was the first, then this is my second real foray into testing the limits of how far I can push myself into believing that my life is the same, just with a child. That I can be as good a host, as fun a person and eat as much ham with an almost one-year-old as I could before. This is the new normal, the new tradition, and if it still isn’t the best party anyone has been to all year, I’ll simply be destroyed (so lie to me if it’s not). 

There will of course be a lot of ham (I have ended up with three small-ish hams, don’t ask), many mustards, and for the first year, I am making hot chocolate. This is for the folks in the 3–12 year old range and the adults who are young at heart. For those who see an invitation to a cold weather late afternoon soiree and think “perhaps too early for a martini, but a well-made, not-too-sweet hot chocolate seems festive and whimsical.” Hot chocolate would never be at a Saturday evening 9-1am party. But a Sunday 4–10? That’s hot chocolate time. 

This is the hot chocolate we serve in the winter months at First Bloom, and I don’t know a better one. It’s rich but not so thick it feels like drinking a hot milkshake, and, as mentioned, not too sweet. These are the keys to being able to enjoy as much of it as possible. As a bonus, I also included a recipe for eggnog, a thing that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about all month, despite never enjoying it before. My mom used to drink it every Christmas and so there’s definitely something to unpack there, but this is my version. It borrows the sweetened condensed milk from Mexican Rompope but refuses to cook the eggs or use a blender. The raw eggs don’t freak me out so I leave them as-is, to, I guess, cook and cure in the sugar and alcohol. 

If you’re not coming to my party, you can find this hot chocolate at our New York pop-up this weekend, which is open until Tuesday 12/23, 11–8. Sadly we lack the licensing to serve you eggnog. Come say hi! 

While I have you…

We have a bit of leftover merch from the book tour, and we’d love for you to have it. Nothing will be remade or reprinted, once it’s gone it’s gone. 

Tomato sauce is back in stock– depending on where you live, it might be to you or your loved ones by Christmas Day. Otherwise, it’s a chic New Year’s gift (certainly not a thing, but shouldn’t it be?).

Happy sixth night of Hannukah. I haven’t made latkes yet this year and in case you are the same and maybe need a recipe to encourage you to just make them, here they are. There’s a video, too. And yes you can make them ahead, I prefer to reheat them at 425°F (hot/fast/crisp) versus keeping them warm in low oven (warm/slow/soft). To each their own. 

First Bloom Hot Chocolate

Makes 10 cups / serves 6–8

Boiling the water and cocoa powder separately might seem like a fussy step (it sort of is), but a necessary one to “bloom” and cook out the chalkiness of the cocoa powder. You could skip this step if you don’t believe me, but you won’t like what you find, I promise. Also, depending on how you’re serving this hot chocolate (right away, as a nighttime snack, for a party, etc.), it tends to thicken as it sits, especially if kept warm, so you may need to thin it out with a bit more milk if making it ahead.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup/120g cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup/120g sugar
• 8 cups whole milk or sure, an alternative milk
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups/200g 70–72% chocolate
• 2 cups heavy cream or sure, a heavy cream alternative

Preparation

1. Combine water and cocoa powder in a large pot, whisk to blend. Bring to a boil, whisking to blend and bloom the cocoa powder. Add milk, sugar and kosher salt and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. 

2. Add chocolate and whisk to combine until the chocolate is melted. 

3. When ready to serve, in a medium bowl with a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer), whip the heavy cream until you have nice soft peaks. No need to season this with sugar, but if you want, a little powdered sugar is the way to go. Top hot chocolate with an unmodest amount of whipped cream.

DO AHEAD: Hot chocolate can be made and chilled 5 days ahead. Rewarm gently before serving, thinning with milk as needed.

A Cheeky Little Eggnog

Makes 6 cups / serves 4–6

Rompope is a Mexican eggnog made from cooked custard infused with spices and blended with almonds. I am allergic to using a blender, so I avoid that part, but many recipes I found use sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, which I love. I would drink straight sweetened condensed milk if it didn’t make me feel so sick. Adding alcohol should help!

Ingredients

• 6 large egg yolks 
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1 cup whole milk 
• 3 cups heavy cream, divided 
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg, plus more 
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more 
• Pinch kosher salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• ¾ cup dark rum

Preparation

1. Whisk egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk together in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in milk, 1 cup heavy cream, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon and a few grinds of black pepper. Season with a pinch of salt season with more spices if you like–This will largely depend on your preferences. Remember, you can always add more but you can’t take away. Start slow.

2. Whisk in rum and let chill overnight (eggnog will thicken). 

3. When ready to serve, in a medium bowl with a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer), whip the remaining 2 cups heavy cream until you have nice soft peaks. No need to season this with sugar, but if you want, a little powdered sugar is the way to go. Top eggnog with an unmodest amount of whipped cream. 

DO AHEAD: Eggnog can be made and chilled 3 days ahead. Serve cold. 

Thank you to Sézane for sponsoring this weeks newsletter– I’m grateful for many things, but perhaps most of all, for this party dress. 

See you next week!