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Rich Italian Hot Chocolate Recipe | The Sweet Savory Life

Italians clearly know their way around hot chocolate! This warm drink is rich, creamy and fluffy but not overly decadent. A perfect blend of chocolate and cream in your mouth. It reminds me of a warm version of a chocolate mousse, best enjoyed by the spoonful. Don’t be disheartened, as luxurious as it may seem, Italian chocolate is simple to make. Just like most hot chocolate recipes, simply simmer and whisk all the ingredients together. That’s it!

What chocolate to use…

Use only good quality chocolate for this recipe. One of the best ways to find excellent chocolate is through its label, pick the one with high cocoa butter content. Many grocery store chocolate bars such as Lindor are good to use as well as bean-to-bar chocolate brands. For this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s “Pound Plus Dark Chocolate” block. Chocolate chips or compound chocolate are not ideal to use.

To learn more about chocolate, check out this “Bean-to-bar FAQ” blog post.

Because this rich beverage is chocolate heavy, dark chocolate 72% and above are best to use. I find using semisweet chocolate slightly sweet. This is, however, yours to enjoy so tweak the recipe to your preference.

Some noteworthy tips…

Your hot drink is only as good as the quality of chocolate you use. Treat yourself and pick a good brand. Do NOT use baking chocolate chips, it will be hard to achieve the right consistency with compound chocolate.
This recipe is a blend of milk, heavy cream, and cornstarch to get a thick consistency. If you only have milk, increase the amount of cornstarch by another 1 1/2 tsp.
To get the perfect velvety consistency, simmer in slow heat while whisking to avoid burning the milk while melting the chocolate.
Adding instant coffee or espresso enhances the flavor of the chocolate. I highly recommend it.

How to make Italian hot chocolate…

Equipment: small pot, whisk, cup

Yield: 2 servings of small cups (espresso size); this is a rich hot chocolate best served in a smaller serving.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 oz dark chocolate
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp milk (mix together)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp instant coffee or espresso
pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix cornstarch and 2 tbsp milk until it dissolves; set aside.
Mix together sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt; set aside.
In low heat, whisk together milk, heavy cream, and dark chocolate until mixed through.
Add the cocoa powder and sugar mixture and continue whipping until fully incorporated.
Add the milk and cornstarch mixture and whip until it thickens. Keep the heat on low to avoid burning.
Turn off the heat, mix in vanilla and instant coffee until fully mixed in.
Pour the hot chocolate into a small cup and top with whipping cream. Serve immediately with a spoon.

This rich Italian hot chocolate is best enjoyed by the spoonful! Also, for any leftovers, just keep them in the fridge and enjoy chilled. Cheers!