WE are now in the month of December and for many people the festive countdown is under way.

Whatever Christmas means to you, somewhere along the line it will involve large quantities of calories because, let's face it, December is the time to relax and indulge.

You might be tempted to break out the mulled wine for your Christmas party but everybody knows that the chilly months are the perfect time to head out for a cosy mug of hot chocolate with loved ones.

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Ulverston's latest culinary gem, the Italian inspired Bici Cafe, in The Gill, is totally on the same wavelength and has introduced four new hot chocolate flavours to their menu especially for the festive period.

Bici Cafe's proprietor Katrina Allison, who runs the business with her Italian partner Gugliemo Baldassarre, said: "We are releasing the new flavours for the first weekend in December.

"We now have a Peruvian 75 per cent chocolate, a white chocolate, a Madagascan 61 per cent chocolate and one that's a bit of fun called Chilli con Choccy.

"The idea came about because we wanted to introduce something seasonal and we thought there was a demand for it.

"I think the white chocolate flavour will definitely be very popular with children and we like to keep mixing up the menu and coming up with something different for our regular customers to try."

Although a frothy hot chocolate might be seen now as a drink for rosy-cheeked children coming inside from playing out in the snow, or something for women to curl up on the couch with while they read a good book, it did not originate that way.

Chocolate was actually discovered by the ancient race of the Aztecs, who drank hot chocolate as a symbol of power and it was very popular among their warriors.

Even when chocolate was first brought back to Europe and was still consumed only in liquid form, it was associated with a quite different meaning. Explorers brought chocolate back to Spain in the 17th century and it quickly spread throughout Europe.

It was considered a luxury and a drink of the elites because it was much more expensive than coffee. Hot chocolate was seen as southern, Catholic and aristocratic, while coffee was viewed as northern, Protestant and middle-class.

Now in 2016, we have a greater array than ever, especially in Ulverston! Katrina said: "We found the different flavour from a small company that are based in London and thought it would be great to bring a little taste of the city to Ulverston.

"When it comes to festive treats to accompany these hot chocolates, we have just started stocking macarons, which I have never noticed anywhere else in town.

"We have also been getting a bit Christmassy by adding cranberries to our scones and we would really like to do a traditional Italian Christmas treat in the build up to December 25."

RECIPE: Traditional Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen

Not going to have the time or money to hit the famous German Christmas markets this year? Well, thankfully we have our very own in the heart of Manchester or, if you just fancy a little German snack with your Christmas hot chocolate, try our authentic recipe for Lebkuchen, which are a traditional German Christmas treat.

INGREDIENTS

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup dark molasses

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, beat the egg, brown sugar and honey until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; stir into the molasses mixture. Stir in the almonds and candied fruit peel. Cover or wrap dough, and chill overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Grease baking sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into 2x3 inch rectangles. Place biscuits 1 1/2 inches apart onto baking sheets.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. While still warm, brush the biscuits with the lemon glaze.

4. To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the egg white, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix in the confectioner's sugar until smooth. Brush over biscuits.

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