Lava thick, rich, luscious, dark chocolate…
EATEN WITH A SPOON!
Italy knows hot chocolate. They rock hot chocolate, oh do they! Italian hot chocolate, thick enough to be served always with a spoon alongside, is in a whole ‘nother league than North American (and most other) hot chocolates & cocoas.
Chocolate Pudding and Chocolate Milk marry.
This is their sweet, sweet child.
The first clue about the sinfulness of this delicious flavor sensation is the intensity of the black chocolate color. HellO yum!
The best part about Italian hot chocolate, aside from the extreme chocolate rush it offers, is that it takes mere minutes to whip whisk up at home any time you need a serious chocolate fix. My favorite way to serve this chocolate is in pretty & petite espresso cups.
*Warning: Once you try Italian hot chocolate, you may never be satisfied with hot cocoa mix again.
- 3 tablespoons Cocoa powder (unsweetened for baking or otherwise; the higher the quality, the better)
- 1 c. Milk
- 2-3 tablespoonsSugar
- Pinch Salt
- ⅛ teaspoons Vanilla Extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoons Brewed Espresso or ⅛ t. Instant Coffee Grounds
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch + 2 teaspoons Cold water, stirred together
- Combine cocoa powder, salt, sugar, and a couple tablespoons of water to form a loose paste in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisking constantly, bring to a boil and allow to boil 1 minute.
- Pour in milk and the cornstarch mixture. Whisk frequently and bring the liquid back to a boil to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- When thickened to your liking, turn off the heat and add vanilla, if you choose. Taste and adjust sugar as needed.
- Ladle or pour immediately into pretty little espresso cups and serve piping hot. Relish the moment.
What’s your favorite hot chocolate drink?
The first time I had ‘cioccolata calda’ I thought they forgot to add the water and had been accidentally given a cup of hot chocolate syrup. But after I had a sip decided that I would drink it anyway, hahaha. Since that day, I have been searching high & low for a hot chocolate like my favorite italian coffee spot makes. Thru my detective work,aka ‘watching their every move’, I know they add a secret dry chocolate mix to whatever kind of milk ordered(so it can be made dairy-free)and it is gluten-free. Jelli, I think you have cracked the secret mix!
Along with my friend,google translate, we have discovered that ‘genuine’ italian hot chocolate only use cream as a garnish.. that sinful taste is just from a thickener (like cornstarch, potato starch or arrowroot powder) and really good quality cocoa powder. How great is that!
Love that your version has coffee in it.. and salt.. and vanilla. Didn’t think it could be improved upon, but you have. Thanks for posting this FAB-ulous italian chocolate recipe.
This sounds delicious. I’m pining it for a cold day. It’s too darn hot in Virginia for hot chocolate right now.
Hi Jelli! You are such an inspiration! So glad that you and hubby are heeding the call! What a precious family you are! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! Can’t wait to try it! Blessings from Bama!
Thank you for the encouraging note, Felecia! The Italian hot chocolate is perfect for the chillier months of the year and such an indulgent treat without much effort. Do visit back and let me know how you like it.
Absolutely delicious . We had it as a dessert after the meal when my family came to visit from DC . Easy to prepare and worth the time spent at the stove instead of the microwave. 😉 thank you molto.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Mariya! There’s not much I’d rather savor than a rich, smooth hot chocolate. Thank you for coming back to let us know that you tried the recipe. I really appreciate it.