This drink will make your whole weekend. Find more seasonal recipes for the holidays here.

Sahagún's mocha. Photo by Macerating Shallots

OREGON CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MILK

From Elizabeth Montes, Sahagún Handmade Chocolates
10 NW 16th Ave., Portland

Use your favorite dark chocolate. I used Bolivian 68% Cru Sauvage. Although this is a water-based chocolate drink, it allows for a sharper chocolate edge while the roasted hazelnuts provide a buttery richness that non-milk drinkers will have the opportunity to appreciate.

1 1/2 oz high quality bittersweet chocolate 68%, chopped finely
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts
2 1/2 cups water

Blend hazelnuts with water until the mixture looks smooth. Pour through a medium/fine strainer or cheesecloth twice. Reserve 3/8 cup at room temperature and store the rest of nut milk in refrigerator for other uses.

Put chocolate in a small mixing bowl. Put this bowl into a larger bowl that is partially filled with hot water. Carefully stir the chocolate until it melts. Lift the bowl containing chocolate out of the larger bowl and discard the hot water. Add 1 tablespoon of hazelnut milk to the melted chocolate. With a spoon, stir continuously until the mixture looks like pudding. Add 1 tablespoon more of the nut milk and stir again. Add the remaining nut milk and stir until the mixture is a thick chocolate drink.

Drink at room temperature or warm up for hot chocolate. Add honey to taste.