Peppermint Hot Chocolate / Peppermint Frappuccino (made with real chocolate!)

I'm still adjusting to the swing of things here, trying to get out of break-mode and back into school and staying dry during this heavy amount of rain in California.

For this week's post I thought I'd share how to make a peppermint frappuccino (or perhaps a hot chocolate, depending on the weather!)

Time: about 10 minutes
Makes 1 cup (1 serving)

What you'll need:

• a few drops of peppermint extract
• 9 squares of Hershey's dark chocolate candy bar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 oz (1 shot) espresso (optional)

Recipe:

1. Pour milk into a medium bowl. Add Hershey's dark chocolate squares. Heat mixture in a microwave for approximately 3 minutes on high, or until the chocolate is completely melted. Heating it up on the stove-top won't work.
2. Take mixture out of microwave and add peppermint extract and espresso (if desired).
3.  If you'd like hot chocolate, you're done! To make a frappuccino, freeze the existing mixture. Once frozen, blend peppermint cubes together with 1/4 cup milk until you get the desired thickness.

Tips:

• When adding the Hershey's chocolate, I split the chocolate squares individually and half them. The smaller the chocolate initially is, the easier it blends into the milk.
• For those with a sweet tooth, add even more squares. Yum!
• Peppermint extract is very strong. Add a drop or two at first, then taste and continue to add until it's as peppermint-y as you'd like.
• If I plan to make frappuccinos, I usually decrease the amount of milk added to the initial mixture, and add milk back to help blend the cubes.
• When making a frappuccino, blend for a short time if you'd like a more viscous drink or a long time if you'd like a thinner one.