Paleo Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon espresso powder, optional
• 1 cup milk per person
• Sweetener of your choice, like maple syrup or honey, optional
• Coconut whipped cream, optional
• Dark chocolate shavings, optional

Directions

1. Heat the water until it boils, either in the microwave or on the stovetop. To make the cocoa syrup, add the cocoa powder and salt to a heat-proof bowl, then pour in the boiling water. Whisk until smooth, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and espresso powder until everything is fully blended.
2. You can use the syrup right away, or cool it completely before moving it to an airtight container and refrigerating it. The chocolate syrup will keep in the fridge for several weeks. To make the cocoa, warm the milk, using about 1 cup per person, in the microwave or on the stovetop. Pour it into a mug, then mix in 2 tablespoons of syrup for each cup of milk. Taste, and stir in more syrup or your preferred sweetener if you want it sweeter.