Hot Chocolate with Plum Syrup

I found Lola! I am trying to control myself and not to scream out loud while I am writing it! Lola is my sweet little cat, best friend of Ryszard (my second cat) and the cutest bowl of fur. You may think that it happens, cats go for longer walks, but this lady was never outside. Ok, she was, she used to be a street cat in Barcelona, but only for about the first 6 weeks of her life. Since then she has been a strict house cat.

She sneaked out on Friday evening when we were going back from our walk with Mia and I found her only 1h ago (10pm). So Whole 3 days and 3 nights. 1h ago I also had my first cat fight. She was so stressed out that she didn’t really want to be carried back home. She attacked my head and I ended up with few open wounds. Totally worth it! The second I opened the door to our apartment and she realised what’s going on, she became my Lola, the sweetest happiest cat ever. I should have recorded her meeting with Ryszard, they were like long lost lovers who found each other. I am so happy! Obviously Lola is grounded for life and tomorrow we will have a serious talk. But tonight I kiss her and hug her and kiss her and hug her…

You will need for plum syrup:

• 350g plums,drilled
• 100g palm sugar
• 100 ml coconut water
• pinch of vanilla seeds
• 1 tsp corn starch

Start with a compote. Place drilled plums, sugar, water and vanilla in a pot and cook over a medium heat for few minutes. When the plums start to soften, add corn stretch and mix with a wooden spoon. Let it cool down and place in a jar.

You will need for chocolate genache:

• 1 cup cream
• ½ cup milk
• few heads of dried lavender
• pinch of salt
• 1 & ½ cups chopped dark chocolate (70%)

Place milk and cream in a small pot and bring it to boil. Add lavender and put aside for 30 minutes.

Meantime chop the chocolate.

Add salt to the cream mixture and bring it to simmer over medium-low heat. Remove lavender, turn off the heat and add chopped chocolate. Whisk the cream and the chocolate together so you will get ganache.

Divide the ganache between two glasses and pour over some hot milk. You will get a very thick and delicious hot chocolate. Add a spoon or two of plums.

Enjoy, Marta