National Cocoa Day Today, Celebrate With Hot Chocolate
National Cocoa Day arrived on Thursday just as most of the U.S. is experiencing a cold snap this year.
Celebrated on Dec. 13, National Cocoa Day commemorates the multi useful chocolate powder made from cocoa beans.
Cocoa consists of extracting and pressing cocoa beans and removing much of the rich cocoa butter from the ground beans.
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Perhaps the most popular incarnation of cocoa powder the drinkable version of it- hot chocolate, which can be made with dark, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate.
Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa, also requires steamed milk or hot water, sugar, and cocoa. The sweet treat can be topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, peppermint shavings, and a slew of other tasty toppings.
Conveniently, hot cocoa is available in packets from companies such as Swiss Miss, and Dunkin Donuts even offers K-cups of hot chocolate mix for use with a Keurig coffee machine.
With chilly temperatures from California across the country to the freezing East Coast this week, the cocoa holiday is helping people stay warm with the decadent, drinkable version of the product.
Other chocolate lovers are celebrating National Cocoa Day by making baked goods with the popular product. Recipes such as chocolate snow caps, brownies, and chocolate cake all require the chocolate powder.
On Twitter, users are sharing their National Cocoa Day celebrations on Thursday, including Carol who wrote, "Got my mug of mint cocoa in honor of National Cocoa Day!"
"With the temperature dipping into single digits, today is the perfect day to celebrate National Cocoa Day," Summer added.
Twitter user Amy suggested that hot cocoa lovers add Baileys, peppermint or butterscotch "and have fun with it," while Betty Crocker also shared a tip for making special hot chocolate this year.
"Combine chocolate chip cookie mix with a packet of hot cocoa and your #cozy winter day dreams will come true," the baking company wrote.
December also contains holidays that celebrate wintry treats such as eggnog, pumpkin pie, candy canes and fruitcake.
