Day 11: Festive Guest Post: Super Fancy Hot Cocoa by Jenny Hale

by Jenny Hale

 

My Christmas novels have no shortage of hot cocoa and great friends so I thought I’d let those be the focus of this holiday post!

On my website, this year, I posted an easy 3-ingredient hot cocoa recipe. You can see that recipe right here: https://www.itsjennyhale.com/blog/2019/12/10/three-ingredient-hot-cocoa

 

 

But this year I had a neighbor give me the most glorious suggestion! Once she has a steaming cup of the chocolaty goodness, she skips the little marshmallow squares and puts an enormous dollop of marshmallow cream on top! How delicious is that? Of course, this changed my entire view of hot cocoa, and I’ve been a devourer of marshmallow cream ever since!

Happy holidays! And I hope you get a chance to pick up a good book and delight in a super fancy marshmallow cream hot cocoa!

Marshmallow Cream

 

You need:

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup honey

3 large egg whites (room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized saucepan combine water, sugar and corn honey. Heat on medium to 240 degrees F. Do not stir the sugar water as it cooks or it will form crystals.
2. Add egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl and beat the whites to soft peaks. I’d begin this process right about when the thermometer in the sugar mixture reads 230°F (and you see bubbles).
3. When the sugar syrup is 240°F. Remove from the heat and with the mixer running, carefully pour the syrup in a thin, steady stream onto the whites. The whites will deflate when you do this, but they will thicken and become fluffy.
4. Continue to whip the spread for 8 minutes, or until very thick. Add the vanilla and whip for another minute or so.
5. Scoop the spread into an airtight container. Store for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. The spread can be re-whipped by hand if it becomes flat.

 

Thank you so much for your post, Jenny – this looks and sounds a delicious treat, I can easily imagine drinking one of these whilst curled up engrossed in one of your fantastic reads! 

Check out all of Jenny’s books and find out more about her on her website at https://www.itsjennyhale.com/ 

Here’s more information about her latest novel, Christmas at Silver Falls, which was an amazing, heartwarming, emotive 5* read for me ……..

A beautiful festive romance, all about the joy of Christmas with family, second chances, and finding love under the falling snow. This enchanting and uplifting read will have you both laughing and crying while it warms your heart.

White Oaks Inn has always been at the heart of Christmas celebrations for Scarlett Bailey and her family. Her adored gran has owned the rambling, old-fashioned hotel, filled with the scent of cinnamon and chocolate, since Scarlett was a little girl. But now her gran’s home is under threat. And it looks like it could be the Baileys’ last Christmas together there…

Over the holiday season, amidst much-loved festive traditions of baking cookies and decorating the tree, Scarlett throws herself into saving the hotel. When she hears that Charlie Bryant, a handsome, successful property developer, is spending December in Silver Falls, Scarlett is hopeful he might be the answer to their problems.

When they meet, sparks fly between impulsive Scarlett and business-like Charlie – as they both have very different ideas for the future of White Oaks. Scarlett is determined to show him how much White Oaks Inn means to her family and the guests who return there every year and, as they spend more time together, she begins to realize there is more to Charlie than his serious appearance…

But Charlie is struggling with a secret from his own past. Will he be able to face it, or will it stop him from truly opening up and getting close to anyone? And can Scarlett share the true meaning of Christmas with him and save her gran’s beloved hotel along the way?

Embrace the wonder of Christmas in this gorgeous novel about living for the moment and finding love when you least expect it. Christmas at Silver Falls is the perfect festive indulgence for fans of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery and Sheila Roberts.

Read my review here, though I recommend reading the book rather than my review!

BUY LINKS

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07X6N411MSocial

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2lUs8t8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ltQ71Y

Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2jS8KMy

 

You can check out my reviews of books I’ve read by Jenny here – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all!