Italian Hot Chocolate Recipe - Thick and Decadent! (2024)

FAQs

What to add to hot chocolate to make it thicker? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens.

Italy is another European country that loves its thick hot chocolate. Their version of hot chocolate uses heavy cream and milk like the French. But unlike the French, they go an extra step by adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture even more. The result is a pudding-like consistency that is still pourable.

Italian hot chocolate is thicker, creamier, and generally much richer than traditional American hot chocolate, which is less dense and milkier. It is made with a few key ingredients: cocoa, sugar, and milk. In some cases, a little dark chocolate and a thickening agent, such as cornstarch, are added as well.

In mainland Europe (particularly Spain and Italy), hot chocolate is sometimes served very thick due to the use of a thickening agent such as cornstarch.

For instance, when chocolate comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it seizes. Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become thick and lumpy.

Using less cream will result in a thicker consistency for your ganache. For instance, instead of using equal parts chocolate and cream, use two parts chocolate to one part cream for a thicker consistency.

Chocolat Chaud "Africain" - €8.20

The hot chocolate is pure decadence; try the speciality 'African', a velvety potion so thick that you need a spoon to consume it. Epicurean delights include the Mont Blanc dessert, a ball of meringue covered in whipped cream and sweet chestnut.

Since Italy isn't hot and humid enough to grow her own cacao, Italian chocolate makers seek out only the best beans for their products. Then we must consider the quality of other ingredients mixed with the chocolate and how they may affect the flavor.

Switzerland is famous for its rich and indulgent hot chocolate. Swiss hot chocolate tends to be thick, creamy, and often made with high-quality chocolate.

Which state drinks the most hot chocolate? ›

Massachusetts is not alone in their number one selection, as hot cocoa was the most common favorite drink in the country, coming in first place in 17 states including New York, California, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island.

Marshmallows first came into the picture in 1917, when the company Angelus Marshmallows published a recipe for hot cocoa topped with their product. (In another genius marketing move, the company also hitched its wagon to sweet potatoes with a recipe for the side dish that has since become a Thanksgiving staple.)

It Started in Mexico

As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers (as well as other ingredients)—a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today.

Add thickening powder as required. Hot, milky drinks, such as Horlicks, hot chocolate or Ovaltine, thicken well. If you do not like milk, try the hot drink sachets where you just add boiling water. These also thicken well.

Make a paste with the hot cocoa mix and one or two tablespoons of the milk. Make sure all the cocoa mix is moistened, and then stir in the rest of the milk. Since it's already moistened, the cocoa mix will dissolve evenly into the milk. No dry clumps.

Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.