Orange spice hot cocoa is just the thing to warm you up and fuel your chat session. This post is brought to you thanks to Netflix.

One of the things I have fond memories of is watching The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show reruns. Do you remember when the new crop of animated movies came out, and everyone was remarking about how they were great for kids, but there was plenty for the adults to enjoy, too?

I feel like Rocky and Bullwinkle helped start that, so many years ago. Not only did I giggle along with the regular pratfalls and jokes, but my parents could enjoy it too — especially the puns of Mr. Peabody.

Now, when the full-length movie Mr. Peabody and Sherman came out, I was skeptical. Remakes essentially go two ways: completely terrible, or charming in its own right. I’m happy that Mr. Peabody is the latter, and the public must have agreed, because Dreamworks created a spinoff show for Netflix.

To help celebrate it, Netflix sent my family a box of goodies, and my kids immediately sat down to conduct their very own talk show. Of course, not being old enough to stay up for a late-night show, they didn’t understand what the mugs were for.

Though I know that on TV the mugs just hold water, I decided to make an orange spice hot cocoa that would help keep them warm and cozy this winter while also fueling their imaginations.

Flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel, this orange spice hot cocoa feels decadent and special, but is just as easy to whip up as any old hot cocoa recipe. It reminds me a lot of a drink I had at Serendipity 3, but without the coffee that would surely make my kids go crazy. Don’t forget to top it with plenty of whipped cream!

Orange Spice Hot Cocoa

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Orange spice hot cocoa is just the thing to warm you up and fuel your chat session.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon green cardamom pods
• 1 4- inch cinnamon stick, broken
• 1 orange
• 4 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Whipped cream

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine milk, cardamom, and cinnamon. Using a vegetable peeler, peel a strip of zest from the orange, avoiding the white pith as much as possible. (You can scrape any white bits off with a knife.) Using a microplane or grater, zest orange to yield about 1 teaspoon.
2. Add the strip of zest to the milk and heat the milk to a simmer. Do not let it boil! Stir to keep the milk from scorching, and once bubbles appear at the edge of the pan, cover and remove from heat.
3. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl - one with a spout for pouring works well for this, or a 4-cup measuring cup.
4. Set a strainer over the bowl, and pour the milk through the strainer into the chocolate. Add nutmeg and vanilla. Carefully whisk mixture until smooth.
5. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream, grated orange zest, and a pinch of nutmeg.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 163mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 18gProtein: 13g

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Disclaimer: This post is part of my ongoing partnership with Netflix as part of their Stream Team.