Frozen Hot Chocolate

I keep seeing commercials for frozen hot chocolate from various vendors and it sounds really good.  The problem is I know that these drinks have got to be calorie laden, with tons of sugar and fat.  I thought that making my own would help cut back some on both.  This is by no means a low calorie, low sugar drink, but I think it cuts enough while keeping that decadent taste.

I 'd been pondering this recipe for a while, what type of chocolate and what method to get it just right.  The chocolate part was easy, I knew I needed something more than chocolate syrup.  The solution of baking chocolate and Abuelita (used for Mexican style hot chocolate) turned out to be just the thing to give it a unique richness.  The method part was a bit trickier.  I knew I would need to melt the chocolate first to mix it with the milk, plus isn't this a play on hot chocolate? Yes, we need to start hot.  Fine, but how to get it slushy?  In the blender with ice? Freeze the hot chocolate in cubes then blend it?  I couldn't see it working out. Today it dawned on me, the ice cream maker!  The perfect solution to take my hot chocolate mixture to wonderful frozen slushiness!

Frozen Hot Chocolate
2-3 servings

1/2 tablet Abuelita
1 ounce square semi sweet baking chocolate
3 cups organic 2% milk
3-4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
1/4 vanilla extract
maraschino cherries

Chop the Abuelita and semisweet chocolate in small pieces.  Place the chocolate in a small mix bowl with about 1/4 cup of the milk.  Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 15 seconds.  Pull it out and stir.  Repeat the process until all the chocolate is melted.  Let the chocolate sit and cool for about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile set up the ice cream maker.  Once the chocolate has cooled a bit, stir in the rest of the milk and then the vanilla extract.  Start the ice cream maker and pour in the hot chocolate mixture.  Blend for about 20 minutes. Spoon into tall glasses and garnish each with a cherry.