Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-quart cast iron pot or enamel camping pot
• •Long metal or wooden roasting skewers
• •Whisk or wooden spoon
• •Heat-resistant gloves or pot holder
• •Ladle
• •Enamel camping mugs or heat-safe cups

Instructions

1. 1

   Build your fire

   You need established coals, not roaring flames. Build your fire 20 to 30 minutes before you plan to cook, letting the wood burn down to glowing embers with occasional flame. Position a grate over the fire pit if you have one, or plan to set your pot on a flat rock at the fire's edge. The goal is steady, moderate heat. A raging bonfire will scorch your milk before it warms through.

   Hardwoods like oak, hickory, or maple burn longer and provide steadier heat than softwoods like pine.
2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. This prevents the cocoa from clumping when it hits the warm milk. Clumped cocoa never fully dissolves, leaving you with gritty chocolate and wasted flavor. Take the thirty seconds to do this properly.

3. 3

   Heat the milk

   Pour the milk and cream into your cast iron pot or enamel camping pot. Position it over the coals where heat reaches the bottom evenly. Stir occasionally as the milk warms. Watch for the first wisps of steam rising from the surface, usually after 8 to 10 minutes depending on your fire's intensity. The milk should never boil. If you see bubbles forming at the edges, pull the pot back from the heat.

   A wooden spoon works better than metal here. It won't conduct heat to your hand when you rest it against the pot's edge.
4. 4

   Add cocoa mixture

   When steam rises steadily from the milk, sprinkle in the cocoa mixture while whisking constantly. The cocoa will resist at first, floating on the surface in stubborn patches. Keep whisking. Within a minute, the mixture will transform into a smooth, dark liquid that smells intensely of chocolate. This is the moment your campsite starts to smell like something worth gathering around.

5. 5

   Melt the chocolate

   Add the chopped dark chocolate to the pot. Stir slowly as it melts into the cocoa mixture, enriching the color and adding body. The hot chocolate should turn glossy and coat your spoon lightly. This takes 2 to 3 minutes of patient stirring. Remove the pot from direct heat once the chocolate has fully melted.

6. 6

   Finish with vanilla

   Stir in the vanilla extract off the heat. Adding it earlier would cause the volatile aromatics to dissipate into the night air. You want that vanilla fragrance in your cup, not floating somewhere above the treetops. Give the pot one final stir and move it to the cooler edge of the fire ring to stay warm while you toast your marshmallows.

7. 7

   Toast the marshmallows

   Thread two marshmallows onto each skewer, leaving space between them. Hold the skewer over the glowing coals, not the flames. Rotate slowly and continuously. The surface will begin to turn golden, then deepen to amber, then blister with spots of dark brown. This takes 2 to 4 minutes of attentive turning. When the marshmallow looks ready to surrender its grip on the skewer, it's done.

   For those who prefer a charred exterior with molten center, hold the marshmallow directly in a flame until it catches fire, then blow it out immediately. This is a legitimate technique, not a mistake.
8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Ladle the hot chocolate into enamel mugs or heat-safe camping cups. Drop a toasted marshmallow into each, watching it bob on the surface before slowly sinking and melting into the chocolate. Serve a second marshmallow on the side of each mug for those who want to dip as they drink. Pass the mugs around while they're hot enough to steam in the cool night air.

Chef Tips

• •Dutch-process cocoa produces a smoother, less acidic result than natural cocoa. Look for it at any grocery store. Droste and Valrhona make excellent versions worth seeking out.
• •The quality of your chocolate matters. Use something you'd happily eat on its own. Cheap baking chocolate tastes cheap in your cup.
• •If you're camping without refrigeration, substitute evaporated milk mixed with equal parts water. It won't match fresh whole milk, but it travels well and performs admirably.
• •Make extra. Someone always wants a second cup, and cold hot chocolate reheats beautifully the next morning over breakfast coals.
• •A splash of bourbon or dark rum in the adult portions transforms this into something worth staying up late for. Add it to individual cups, not the pot.

Advance Preparation

• •Pre-mix the cocoa, sugar, and salt at home and store in a sealed container for easy campsite assembly.
• •Chop the chocolate before you leave and pack it in a small bag. It will soften slightly in warmer weather but melts just the same.
• •Hot chocolate base can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored refrigerated in a sealed jar. Reheat gently over your campfire, stirring constantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 480g)