Johnny Depp never had it so good

It's probably fair to say that Our Lass is a down-to-earth sort, a gal driven by life's priorities and who is a firm believer in the old mantra of 'success is all of what you need and a little of what you want'.

For example, my nearest and dearest cooks but does not bake. To live, we all need to eat food, so Tense Towers is a home of tasty, few frills, nutritious meals. OK, we ship in, or I bake, the occasional cake, but that's where the 'want' comes in.

So, it's probably an indication of our changed lives that, today, Our Lass decided that a little frivolousness was called for. As we're fans of dark chocolate and only slightly dark movies, 'Chocolat' is a perennial favourite at OTT. So much so, that we even have a recipe book inspired by the film.

And today was its day!

Our Lass reckoned we could do without the whipped cream, the sprinkles were optional, chilli flakes would suffice for a whole chilli, but the alcohol was a necessity. See? Priorities!

A pint of milk, a cinnamon stick and the chilli flakes were simmered in a pan.

Then, a bar of dark chocolate (85% cocoa) was broken up and melted into the pan.

This was then whisked, whilst off the heat...

a little brown sugar added, and the mixture allowed to stand for 10 minutes to infuse. This was the difficult bit, as Our Lass is not THAT patient :o)

Then, a bit more whisking, before returning the pan to the heat to bring back to simmering point.

Finally, the mixture was sieved into two mugs (MINE had sprinkles!) and then the last ingredient added...

a shot of Cointreau.

And the  verdict?

Vianne would've been proud!