Hot chocolate is the drink the kids in the lot are waiting for: whole milk, cocoa and chopped chocolate whisked at home, carried in a preheated thermos and finished at a toppings bar of whipped cream, marshmallows and peppermint. On a late-season morning the adults line up for it too.
At the lot: Carry it in a preheated thermos, then set out the toppings. Homegating: Keep it warm on the stove and build a toppings bar on the counter.
Home gear: a large pot (at least 5 quarts), a whisk, an instant-read thermometer, a 3-quart or 1-gallon vacuum-insulated drink dispenser
25 MIN
At home, on the stove
10 MIN
At the lot
12
Serves
Ingredients
Hot chocolate
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 12 cups whole milk (3 quarts)
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Toppings bar
- 1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
- 1 can whipped cream
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candies
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- Ground cinnamon
Steps
At home
- Preheat the dispenser: fill it with boiling water, cap it and let it sit while you make the hot chocolate.
- Whisk the cocoa, sugar and salt in the pot. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk to make a smooth paste, so the cocoa doesn't clump.
- Whisk in the rest of the milk. Heat over medium, whisking often, until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge, about 165°F to 170°F. Don't let it boil.
- Take it off the heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until it melts, then the vanilla.
- Pour out the hot water, pour in the hot chocolate and cap it tight. A 3-quart jug fills to the top, which holds heat longest.
At the lot
- Set the toppings out in small bowls. The whipped cream stays in the cooler between uses.
- Pour about 8 oz into each cup and let everyone top their own. For small kids, fill the cup ¾ of the way and let it sit a minute before handing it over.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Test a cup first: a good thermos keeps it hot enough to burn a small kid. Pour one and check it before handing it down.
- Rinse the thermos the same day: milk sours fast.
Can you make hot chocolate ahead?
Yes. Make it the day before and refrigerate it, then reheat it on the stove to 165°F the morning of the game before it goes into the preheated thermos.
How do you keep hot chocolate hot at a tailgate?
Use a vacuum-insulated dispenser or a big thermos, preheated with boiling water and filled to the top; a full jug holds heat far longer than a half-full one. Keep it capped and out of the wind. It's a milk drink, so the holding rules in how to keep food hot at a tailgate apply.
How much do you need for 20 people?
Multiply by 1⅔: 20 cups of milk (1¼ gallons), 1¼ cups of cocoa, 1⅔ cups of sugar, 10 oz of chocolate, ¾ tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of vanilla. Use a pot of at least 8 quarts, and bring a 2-gallon dispenser or 3 thermoses.
What's a kid-friendly hot drink for a tailgate?
Hot chocolate with a toppings bar. It has no alcohol, kids get to build their own cup, and it carries hot from home in a thermos.
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