Recipe: Nutella hot chocolate

I've been partially subsisting on Nutella since my first taste at age 7 when I lived in France with my family. In fact, the family friend who gave me that first spoonful still tells the story of the sheer happiness on my face as that goodness hit my tongue for the first time.

In other words, I like Nutella a lot.

I'm a pro at spreading it on bread, dipping pretzels in it and enjoying spoonfuls. Then, during a recent snow day, I tasted Nutella hot chocolate that a neighbor made. I'm not sure I'll ever return to the powder stuff.

This recipe is super easy. The key is making sure that the milk gets really hot, but not scalded.

1 tablespoon Nutella to one cup of milk

Mix together the milk and Nutella in a saucepan. Simmer the mixture, whisking regularly, over medium-high heat until the milk is warm and the Nutella is completely incorporated. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream.

It's a perfect addition to a Valentine's Day breakfast!