Marshmallow Pops

I first wanted to wish a holiday holiday to all of you Chocolate Shavings readers. Your kind comments, emails and readership mean the world to me and make me want to write even after a long day. I hope your holidays are filled with great company, delicious food and a lot of love. Maybe even a few thoughtful gifts too!

For a simple festive treat, here is my recipe for marshmallow pops. These are delicious - and even better with homemade marshmallows!. You can make them as a part of a dessert buffet table or a simple indulgence for an afternoon party. Once the chocolate has set you can lay them out on platters or creatively display them upwards on a table. If you like marshmallows as much as I do, these are the treat for you!

Spiced Apple Cider and a Holiday Cookbook Giveaway

Can you believe how fast December has gone by so far? I have quite a few things left to do on my list and very little time do it in! This year, I'm spending the holidays in New York - it's the first time that I will be spending the holidays outside of a 'home' - we usually spend the time off at our family home in the South of France. Living in North America now, it always feels great to take the time to go to back to my French roots and recharge but we are switching it up this year! It won't be a home-cooked meal but it will be a delicious New York staple restaurant and instead of lazy days by the fire, we will be catching up with New York's busy Christmas streets. I'm wrapping a few small gifts for my family to pack in my suitcase - just a few presents that are sure to please. Sometimes the holidays end up being a hectic time of running back and forth trying to find the perfect gifts for one another - which in my family can be quite the challenge! Most of my immediate family is not materialistic in the least (which overall is a good thing!) but makes it difficult to attempt to pick something out. So this year, we are keeping it simple and sticking to what really matters in the end: spending time together. That might sound a tad cheesy but that's exactly what it's going to be!

And now for a very fitting recipe ....spiced apple cider! It's perfect for this time of year - soothing and filled with holiday flavours.

Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows

After putting up my Christmas tree this weekend, it seems that the holidays are really in full swing! During this hectic time of year - between holiday shopping, seeing friends and family and wrapping up a busy work year - there is often little time to sit back and relax. No matter how hectic it is, it's always healthy to take a little time to yourself and enjoy the simple pleasures. A warm cup of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows and a festive candy cane is a great place to start in my book!

Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows
Ingredients per mug
1-1/2 to 2 cups of milk
1 tbsp of good quality cocoa powder
1 tbsp of bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
1 candy cane
5 or 6 mini marshmallows

Add the milk to a saucepan on medium high heat. Bring the milk to a high simmer and mix in the vanilla extract. Set aside.

In each mug, add the cocoa and chocolate chips. Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure the mixture is homogeneous as you go.

Garnish with a candy cane and mini marshmallows. Enjoy!