Last weekend I attended the Food Blog Forum (FBF) in Orlando, Florida held at Walt Disney World. It is very hard to describe how amazing this experience was and how much I learned. This was my first food blog conference and I had high expectations given the list of presenters, the location, and the schedule of events. The FBF organizers and the Disney representatives did a phenomenal job planning receptions, meals, and organizing a VIP area of Epcot for us to watch the fireworks at night; it was truly special. The speakers were delightful and fun, the presentations and roundtables were informative and interesting. The people were incredible and we all felt a sense of community like no other event has ever given. I can honestly say this conference exceeded my expectations in every way!

One of the many highlights of the conference (besides that it was held at Walt Disney World!) was the food. Oh the food! Disney’s master chefs catered haute cuisine beyond what I could have imagined. Impressive presentations and creative combinations that were plated to be eaten with the eyes and bring even more happiness to our mouths. The chefs at Disney World Park and Resorts are some of the finest. Everything I tasted was amazing, unique and will be unforgettable.

Having a very sweet tooth, I’m always inclined to check out the dessert table before the savory ones… oh the danger at this event! At the welcome reception Friday night and at the lunch on Saturday I could not stay away from the dessert tables. It is very hard to pick a favorite, as I have many! But one in particular I don’t think gained enough attention at the at the welcome reception was a hot chocolate caramel drink. At first glance, it seemed simple and did not stand out next to the variety of more elaborate and creatively plated desserts. I even questioned why they would serve hot chocolate at an event being held outdoors at waterfront in the late yet hot afternoon with sun rays of approximately 85F/ 29C degrees beaming at us.

Since I never say no to chocolate, I took a first sip of this thick creamy chocolate caramel infusion to understand why it was at that table. It was not an average hot chocolate… It was far from actually being close to any chocolate drink that I have ever tried. It is the kind of drink that has you close your eyes and turn your lips slightly upward into a pleasurable smile before you can say “wow” to how good it is.

It was a velvety decadence of intense chocolate flavor combined with the rich sweetness of caramel. To those who have ever tasted “brigadeiro” (a Brazilian chocolate caramel sweet) this drink reminded me of what it is to drink brigadeiro! To those who haven’t yet tried I will provide a brigadeiro recipe soon!

About this recipe
I did not receive the recipe from the chef, so below is my attempt at recreating this marvel of a drink. Although I usually post a healthier and lighter version of recipes, this one by no means fits those categories. However, it is so rich you will want to have just a little, if you can manage to resist drinking it all! At the event it was served in shot glasses, here I serve them in espresso cups. You can enjoy it during any season and serve it hot or cold. I learned there is no such thing as a day too hot to have hot chocolate! So no matter how it’s served I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Decadent Chocolate Drink / Hot Chocolate Caramel
Yields: approximately 20 servings of shot glasses/espresso cups

Ingredients:
• 1 can (14 oz / 395 g) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup (250 ml) warm milk
• 21/2 oz (7 g) dark chocolate (at least 72-75% cocoa)
• 2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (or you can just use 85-100% chocolate instead and omit the cocoa powder)

Directions
1. Combine the condensed milk and chocolate in a pan and stir over low-medium heat until the chocolate is dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken (approximately 4-5 minutes).
2. Add warm milk to the chocolate mixture and keep stirring for another minute or two. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking; if using extra dark chocolate you may not need to add cocoa powder, otherwise add the unsweetened cocoa powder to cut the sweetness of the condensed milk.
3. Serve hot or cold in shot glasses or espresso cups.

This recipe can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks… If you can resist! Enjoy!