{Copy Cat} Ghirardelli Sea Salt Hot Chocolate

Every time we visit San Francisco we hit the Ghirardelli shop and my favorite treat there is the Sea Salt Hot Chocolate.  I actually love the location in Monterrey because it's like a little second floor ice cream parlor.  You can take your treats outside and sit on the balcony overlooking the Pacific.  How delightful is that?  Last year we decided to have our Valentine's Day dinner at home.  Changing things up from the usual steak and salad we opted to make breakfast for dinner.  That's kind of romantic right?  We enjoyed Monte Cristo Crepes (since I have a great Gluten-Free Crepe recipe) and my Mom's Fruit Salad.  All the great flavors of my Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe, but gluten-free this time.  I was trying to come up with a clever dessert to go along with our "breakfast" theme.  Since I haven't mastered gluten-free donuts yet, and I didn't think something like Creme Brulee was an appropriate breakfast-type dessert (Is there such a thing as a breakfast dessert? There should be!) this hot chocolate came to mind.  It was thick, rich, and over the top.  Make sure you use lots of caramel and whipped cream.  Splurge like you're on vacation.  Or having breakfast.  Or celebrating Valentine's Day.  Yes to all!

Here's my Valentine's Day Version

Here is the one I ALWAYS enjoy when in the bay area!

As some of you may know, we lost our sweet pup
Baby Ruth in 2016.  A year later we rescued this dark chocolate
bundle of energy.  She is a boxer/chocolate lab mix and continuing
in the tradition of giving our dogs candy names,
we named her what else?!?
"Ghirardelli" or "Elli" for short!

Copy Cat Ghirardelli Sea Salt Hot Chocolate

Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce
Ghirardelli Squares Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel
milk
Ghirardelli Chocolate Indulgence Hot Cocoa Mix
whipped cream

Prepare the hot cocoa according to package instructions, using milk instead of water (if the kind of mix you are using calls for water.)

Drizzle a little bit of caramel sauce into your mug.  Place one unwrapped Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel Square in the bottom of the mug.  Add hot chocolate.  Garnish with lots of whipped cream.  Top whipped cream with more caramel sauce and garnish with an additional Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel Square.  Be generous.  You want this rich and over the top!

Prep Time:  Approximately 10 minutes     Cook Time: 0