Italian Hot Chocolate – Crunchy Creamy Sweet

This Italian Hot Chocolate is thick, rich, and absolutely delicious. Learn how to make it with 5 simple ingredients in under 15 minutes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Italians know pasta but they also know hot chocolate! Also known as cioccolata calda, this hot chocolate is thick, rich and so creamy. Once you make it, it will be as if you ordered it in a gourmet coffee shop in Italy, as close to authentic as you can get making it in your own kitchen. It’s the best!

It’s also very easy to make. You may never go back to making hot cocoa from powder but instead, go back to this recipe over and over. I know, because that’s what I do! This Italian-style hot chocolate is the best treat after playing in the snow on a cold winter day or simply when you crave something sweet, quick, and easy!

Ingredients:

• dark chocolate: very good quality, the best you can find;
• milk: the fattier, the richer the taste of the hot chocolate; I used whole milk;
• cocoa powder: unsweetened, good quality;
• sugar: adds sweetness since we are using dark chocolate;
• cornstarch: the secret ingredient that makes the chocolate thick.

How to make Italian hot chocolate?

• Start by chopping chocolate.
• Place it in a 2-quart saucepan, add a splash of milk and cook until melted, stirring often.

• Add cocoa powder and sugar to the chocolate mixture.
• Cook and stir until completely combined and smooth.

• Mix cornstarch with a splash of milk and add to chocolate.
• Stir in until smooth.

• Add the remaining milk, slowly pouring in, and stir the chocolate until smooth and thick.
• Simmer, then remove from heat. Make whipped cream.
• Serve garnished with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

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Italian Hot Chocolate

This Italian Hot Chocolate is thick, rich and absolutely delicious! Learn how to make it with 5 simple ingredients in under 15 minutes!

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 283 kcal

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

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Instructions 

• Chop chocolate and place in a 2 qt saucepan.

• In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and a splash of milk and set aside.

• Add a splash of milk and cook over low heat until melted, stirring often.

• Add sugar to the chocolate mixture. Sift the cocoa powder over the mixture. This will prevent clumps. Stir in.

• Cook and stir until completely combined and smooth.

• Add cornstarch slurry to chocolate mixture and stir in well.

• Add the remaining milk, slowly pouring in, and stir the chocolate until smooth and thick.

• Simmer, then remove from heat.

• Make whipped cream. Serve hot chocolate garnished with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Notes

• Gather all of the ingredients and measure them before starting the recipe.
• Keep the heat on a low setting so the mixture doesn’t burn.
• If your chocolate clumps up, remove it from the heat and whisk until it’s smooth again.
• I used 45% cocoa chocolate.
• I used whole milk.
• If you want to substitute the milk with a dairy-free option, try almond milk.
  Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 4mg