Aztec hot chocolate

4 cups whole milk
One 3.2-ounce disk Mexican chocolate, chopped
1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded and deveined
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean

Your Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon, for dusting
Chili powder, for dusting

For the hot chocolate: Bring the milk to a simmer in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chocolate, guajillo chile, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly to develop some froth and completely melt the chocolate. Remove the chile, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick from the hot mixture.

For the whipped cream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large glass mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the powder sugar and beat to stiff peaks.

Pour the hot chocolate into a mug. Dollop with the whipped cream and dust with cinnamon and chili powder. Serve immediately.

A little Bailey's Irish Crème would be a very calming night cap.

Only herb tea at night for me.
Or warm milk w/ natural vanilla & a little bit of sugar. It really does help people sleep.
* but milk on the teeth at night is really bad for children's teeth... Good to know.. *

Try the Russian tea mix.