Ed wrote:

> Recently I have experimented with hot cocoa made from cocoa powder and
> whole milk. Many of the recipes warn not to boil the milk, but I have
> found that it tastes more chocolaty if it all boils for a short time.
> If I boil it while stirring well and none of it burns onto the bottom of
> the pan, is this a problem? Is that what is meant by scorching? Do some
> really think it is better totally unboiled but just heated up?

If you like the hot cocoa made by your method, then by all means continue to
use that method! I mix the cocoa powder and sugar together, then add water
little by little while stirring until I get a smooth paste. THAT is what I
boil, then I slowly add milk to the boiling syrup.

Cooking changes the taste of milk; that may be why recipes warn against
boiling the milk. The term "scorching" refers to milk or cocoa burned onto
the bottom of the pan. The term "scalding" simply means heating the milk up
until its flavor changes. I think that temperature is somewhere around
180F.

I get an uncooked-dairy note by adding a little half-and-half to the cocoa
after it's done cooking. (I can't take credit for that method; it's from
Cook's Illustrated.)

Bob