Spiced Hot Chocolate

SERVES 6

2 cups water
¼ cup brown sugar
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 hot red chili pepper, halved and seeded

Place the water and sugar in a medium saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves and bring it to a boil.

Add the chocolate, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chili, stirring with a whisk and gently bring it to a simmer for 1 minute. Take off the heat and allow it to infuse for 10 minutes, and strain to remove the chili and the cinnamon stick. Whip the hot chocolate in a blender. Serve immediately in large cups, or pour into a container to cool.

Hot chocolate can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept tightly covered in the refrigerator. To reheat the chilled chocolate, pour it into a medium saucepan, set the pan over low heat, and bring it to a slow boil. Remove the pan from the heat, whip the chocolate for a minute in a blender.