I like my hot chocolate thick as cream, so it coats the back of my throat, and it’s debatable whether I should use a spoon to eat it. There’s just one problem: I don’t actually want to drink a mug of heavy cream.

So how do you make hot chocolate that is ultra-decadent without being ultra-caloric as well? This is one of the existential questions I’ve been pondering lately. I’ve also been puttering around in the kitchen, playing with recipes and searching for answers.

And I finally think I’ve got it.

The magic ingredient is <insert drum roll> sweet potato. I mean, we’ve already established that sweet potatoes and marshmallows go hand in hand, right? This recipe seems like an inevitable, natural progression.

The flesh of a roasted sweet potato is thick and creamy, and it’s sweet enough that you don’t even need to add any additional sugar. All you do is mix the warm potato with dark chocolate chips until everything is melted and smooth. Then blend it up with almond milk (you could also use soy, coconut, or cow’s milk), a bit of salt, and a splash of vanilla.

This extra thick sweet potato hot chocolate is so rich and hearty it’s almost like eating chocolate soup. Which, in my book, is a very delicious thing.

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Extra Thick Sweet Potato Hot Chocolate

You can make the hot chocolate a few days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat. You may need to add an additional splash of milk to loosen it.

Servings 4

Author Turnip the Oven

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato
• 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
• 3 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Small pinch kosher salt
• Vegan marshmallows or whipped coconut cream for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potato several times with a fork. Wrap it in foil and bake until tender (a fork should slide in and out with no resistance), about 45 minutes.
2. Split the sweet potato open and scrape out the flesh (you should have about 1 cup). Transfer to a saucepan, add the chocolate chips, and stir until melted. Add the almond milk and blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. (You can also do this in a regular blender.) Turn the heat to medium and heat, stirring, until the hot chocolate is barely simmering. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
3. Divide among mugs and top with marshmallows or coconut cream.

Recipe Notes

Marshmallows aren't Paleo, so for a Paleo version, use whipped coconut cream.