Almost-Mexican Hot Chocolate

What you’ll need:

2 cups milk, regular soy milk, or vanilla soy milk
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup water
Whipped cream (optional)
Handful of chocolate shavings (optional)
Couple pinches ground cinnamon (optional)

1. Heat up water in a saucepan on low heat.
2. Add the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
3. Mix in brown sugar, vanilla extract, a cinnamon stick, and salt, stirring continually until the ingredients are smoothly blended together.
4. Pour in the milk or soy milk, stirring the mixture (without letting it boil) frequently for another ten minutes.
5. If you’d like the hot chocolate to have some froth, whip it in a blender for a few seconds.
6. Pour the warm concoction into mugs.
7. If you so desire, top each serving with whipped cream, sprinkled with chocolate shavings and a light dusting of ground cinnamon.

For a heavier, creamier variety, use whole milk. Soy milk makes for a somewhat lighter, yet still rich and delicious, beverage.