Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
Italian Hot Chocolate is a mug full of creamy deliciously thick Hot Chocolate, made with real chocolate and milk, the ultimate Comfort Food.
When my kids were little they would ask me to make Hot Chocolate and so I would, it was easy! Little did I know that they really wanted the kind their friends’ were drinking.
When they got a little older and we would go shopping together, they would take me down the aisle where it was located or call me in the room when the commercial came on the TV.
I bought it, made it and tasted it and I thought Wow, this isn’t half bad! Thick, creamy and chocolatey.
How to Make Italian Hot Chocolate
- In a small bowl whisk until smooth, 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch set aside.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl then add the sugar and whisk together, set aside.
- In a small/medium pot heat 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon milk until boiling reduce heat to low, start whisking and add the milk/cornstarch mixture then add the cocoa mixture slowly while continually whisking until smooth.
- Then add the chocolate pieces and whisk continuously for approximately 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
I had no idea that the Italians knew how to make a better Hot Chocolate too! Isn’t it funny when you notice something new or are told about something new, you then start to see it everywhere.
And I did, in coffee bars and of course friends started to talk about it. In fact I was at my friend’s house one day and the commercial came on TV for the exact same mix that I bought.
“I tried that stuff”, which of course she responded with, “no homemade is so much better, I have the recipe for you”!
So here I am with the cool rainy weather starting and all I can think about is making a small pot of this amazing Thick Italian Hot Chocolate to go along with some just made Shortbread Cookies.
This stuff is gold, made with real chocolate and a little cocoa, my friend said to use whole milk but I used 2% instead and it always turned out delicious.
Unfortunately this is another recipe just like Italian Pastry Cream where stirring is required. But don’t worry the outcome is well worth it.
This Italian Thick Hot Chocolate Recipe is so creamy and delicious you don’t even need to top it with any whipped cream or marshmallows. But if you do, I won’t stop you. Enjoy!
Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces Dark Chocolate (good quality) (chopped into small pieces)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa unsweetened
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon milk (2% or whole milk/divided)
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk until smooth, 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch set aside.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl then add the sugar and whisk together, set aside.
- In a small/medium pot heat 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon milk until boiling reduce heat to low, start whisking and add the milk/cornstarch mixture then add the cocoa mixture slowly while continually whisking until smooth add the chopped chocolate and whisk for approximately 3 minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Updated from November 18, 2016
delicious – substituted the milk for oat milk because my dad doesn’t drink milk and you can tell that it isn’t milk in this but it tastes so nice and rich. didn’t realise it was for four servings and so accidentally made eight servings of it and it’s a little too rich for me to have more than the three servings I’ve already had… definitely will be making again. it reminds me of the scent the air has round the windmills on the river Zaan where the chocolate factory is. P.S. the metric conversation for the milk is about 480ml (i made a mistake in trying to add the tablespoons and cups into one the first time)
Hi Thom, thanks so much, so glad you and your Dad enjoyed it. Yes the metric is a bit off, I will correct it, thanks for letting me know. Take care!
I followed the recipe to a t but it didn’t want to thicken for me. Was it because the milk wasn’t fully boiled? I was nervous with that part.
Hi Jacquie, if you don’t boil it it can’t thicken. Be sure to follow the directions completely. 🙂
Just made this for my family. I was met with skepticism. Afterwards they said it was “fire”. I think that means good so it’s a win. Thanks!
Hi Adam, haha thanks so much, glad everyone liked it! Take care and have a great weekend!
I made this with soy milk, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. I got the right consistency, but it was far too rich for me. I think next time I would reduce the amount of cocoa and sugar, and choose a chocolate with lower cocoa content (i went with 72%, but I think this was too dark). Next time, I might try a tbsp each of cocoa and sugar. If that’s still too rich, I’ll try a chocolate with lower cocoa content.
Hi just curious if this would work with Easter chocolate cause I have so much left over 😁
Hi R.Jordan, sure I don’t see why not. Let me know how it goes. Take care and have a great weekend.
I have had authentic Italian hot chocolate in Italy and this is kinda similar but the dark chocolate is too, too sharp. I think the ones I drank in Italy used a milk chocolate(?) bec this does not taste like it at all. It does have the thicker viscosity but it just doesn’t match the Italy based one. Sorry
Hi M rom, I don’t think they used milk chocolate, milk chocolate is rarely if ever used in cooking or baking by Italians. They probably used more milk, more sugar and more cornstarch. It also could have been made in a bar more for tourists than locals. 🙂
When I drank I chocolate in Florence it was very thick and rich dark chocolate. I thought to myself I could have added milk and made 3 cups of still thick and strong hot chocolate.
No milk chocolate in the cafe where I got it.
I felt like I was drinking chocolate soufflé. This drink was delicious and very rich despite the fact that I replaced half the dark chocolate with milk chocolate. The hot chocolate wasn’t as thick as I was expecting and didn’t quite coat mg throat the same way the ones I had in Italy.
Delicious… I used whole milk and topped it with whipped cream It was enough for two medium-sized espresso cups. Easy to make and very, very yummy!
Hi Dorota, thanks so much sounds delicous! Take care and have a great weekend!
a perfect christmas treat! i’ve been waiting a whole year to make this since seeing a recipe for this on tiktok during the new year, and i’m so glad i haven’t forgotten about it. the whole melted chocolate bar gives it real italian authenticity, and it doubles as a great dessert. this is the best recipe i could’ve tried, thank you for sharing!
Hi Jasper, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care! Merry Christmas.
Went to Italy a few years ago and had hot cocoa there pretty much everyday, I’ve been craving it every Christmas and tried a few recipes but this is the closest one!! Obviously ingredients matter and can make or break it but ratio wise this hot cocoa took me back!! Wrote it down for family and friends and can’t wait to make it this christmas for them!
Hi Maddie, thanks so much, so glad you liked it and it brought back memories. Take care and Merry Christmas!
Very good
Hi Luan, thanks glad you liked it. Take care!
This is my favorite hot chocolate recipe. I’ve made it for at least two winters now, and found that it is exceptionally creamy and decadent. I like to put it in my thermos and take it with me when I go out.
Hi Maria, thanks so much, great idea putting it in a thermos. Take care!
Looks wonderful! I would love to give as neighbor gifts. Could all the dry ingredients be mixed together and put in a glass jar with instructions on how much milk to add and how to make the hot chocolate? Or does it have to be fresh?
Hi Suzi, I don’t think that would work because you have to add the dry ingredients at different times, unless you separated them in the jar. 🙂
Wow! Delicious! I followed the recipe and it turned out great! It was so rich and chocolatey and filling. I can’t wait to try it with Vodka/Kahlua/Baileys. Thank you so much I will definitely make this again and soon!
Hi NoNo, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care and have a great weekend!
Would this work with chocolate chips?
Hi Julie, it should work with chocolate chips. Let me know. Take care!
I tried it with chocolate chips and it turned out amazing! thank you for sharing!!!