Minty Hot Chocolate Gelato Floats

Hey, hey!

I have the easiest last-minute treat to make for Valentine’s Day! It might save your butt.

Are you a big Valentine’s person? I am somewhere in the middle. I loooooove childhood Valentine’s Day. All the class valentines that you’d get to pass out; I would always save an extra special one from the pack for whatever boy I had a crush on at the time. The little sweetheart candies with messages on them? The big box of chocolate my dad would give to all the girls (my mom, me, and my two sisters) every year. The box was always heart shaped and filled with hand-procured chocolates. He still does this to this day, and it’s pretty much the sweetest thing ever.

But grown up Valentine’s Day? Meh. First, it makes a lot of people sad. I know this, speaking from first-hand experience. I spent many a V-Day without a significant other. Not fun. Second, the practicality of fitting Valentine’s Day into everyday life is lost on me somewhat. Like, I don’t have time for that. Haha.

Believe it or not, I am actually a hopeless romantic. I love REAL ROMANCE. But V-Day always seems a bit forced.

Lucky for me (and my hubs), I have the perfect treat to melt my cold, dead heart. Hah. Hot chocolate gelato floats!!! I am always down for holiday FOOD, no matter the occasion.

Yesssss.

I am a sucker for ice cream floats. I’m also a sucker for desserts with a temperature contrast going on (brownies a la mode, for example). AND! I am a gigantic fan of anything mint and chocolate. But we know this already. I’ve talked about this many times before.

Basically, what I’m trying to say, is that these cute little floats are MEANT for me.

They’re cute. They’re easy. They’re hot and cold. They’re reminiscent of my favorite easy dessert: affogato! And they are full of fresh minty chocolate flavor! I am obsessed.

Now, if you wanted to make these for a special someone who doesn’t love mint (ahem, my husband, ahem), just leave the fresh mint out of the milk for the hot chocolate and swap in a different gelato or ice cream flavor! My husband would SWOON over this if I put peanut butter ice cream in his cup, but I could see all sorts of flavors working here. Raspberry sorbet! Strawberry ice cream! Even cookies and cream could make a home here.

Just think about what works best for you when paired with CHOCOLATE! And that’s the flavor for you! The possibilities are endless.

This is definitely a Valentine’s Day treat I can get behind.

Minty Hot Chocolate Gelato Floats

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• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Mint Hot Chocolate:

• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup half-and-half
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 12 oz dark (70-80%) chocolate, chopped

To Serve:

• 1 pint store-bought mint gelato (or you can make your own)
• Whipped cream
• Mint sprigs
• Additional chocolate, for grating over top

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Instructions

For the Mint Hot Chocolate:

1. Combine the milk, half-and-half, and mint in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat.
2. Stirring frequently, heat the milk mixture until it is just about the simmer without letting it boil. Allow to cool for a minute and then remove the mint leaves. Whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar.
3. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot milk and whisk until it is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and creamy.

To Serve:

1. Scoop some gelato into small cups or bowls and pour the hot chocolate over top. Garnish with whipped cream, mint sprigs, and a grating of chocolate. Serve immediately.

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