If you think you know real hot chocolate…
Think again.
And if you think Swiss Miss is real hot chocolate, drop whatever it is you are doing right now and immediately get to a kitchen so that you can try a thick and luxurious mug of hot chocolate that will rock your world, challenging everything you thought you knew about hot chocolate.
True Italian hot chocolate is thick, rich, and so smooth it’s almost like drinking a liquid chocolate bar.
My first encounter with Italian hot chocolate, or cioccolata calda, was nine years ago during a Christmas vacation spent in Italy. I wrote more about the trip in my post with the Healthy Tiramisu Recipe.
You couldn’t pick a better time to visit Italy than in December—it lets you avoid the summer heat and sweltering crowds; and you’re offered a fantastic excuse to warm up every afternoon by popping into a café for some real Italian hot chocolate.
Italian Hot Chocolate (Cioccolata Calda)
Adapted from Healthy Hot Chocolate
- 5 oz of your favorite dark chocolate, shaved
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sweetener of choice, or to taste
- additional 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 2 1/2 tsp cornstarch, such as non-gmo Rapunzel
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
(Note: If possible, use a milk with some fat for a richer result.) In a small saucepan, slowly heat the chocolate with 3 tbsp of the milk on low. As soon as the chocolate begins to melt, turn off the heat and stir until completely melted. Add salt, sweetener, and the remaining portion of the 1 cup of milk, and turn heat to low-medium, stirring. In a small dish, whisk together the 1/2 cup cold milk of choice with the cornstarch until dissolved. Slowly add this to the hot chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk for about another minute. Then turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and serve. This gets even thicker as it sits, and it is very rich, so you don’t need a giant cup. True Italian hot chocolate should be bittersweet; add more sweetener if a sweeter chocolate is desired.
Link Of The Day:
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Interesting hot chocolate! It looks to die for! Wish I had cornstarch though 🙁
Hi Katie, thanks for the recipe. I grew up with cioccolata calda, and now I make it vegan and with carob, and it’s almost as good.
I am commenting here not for the recipe, which is fantastic, but because of the passing of Michele Ferrero, who died on saturday, Feb 14th, and who was the founder of the Ferrero company, maker of Nutella and a host of other chocolate based sweets.
I thought it would be fitting to honor him on this chocolate covered blog, even though probably none of his products are vegan, because his products, like Nutella, the Ferrero Roches, the Pocket Coffee, the Mon Cherie, the Kit Kat and so on, have made so many people chocoholic and have sparked so many attempts at recreating those products in vegan form, making many vegan chocoholics happy!
So… farewell Mr Ferrero, and thanks for the sweet moments. May you rest in peace.
Daniela
This sounds magnificent! I love your hot chocolate recipe, and I’ve always wanted to try true Italian Hot Cocoa! I’m pinning for sooner, rather than for later. =D
Hmm, I wonder if I could use about 1/4 tsp guar gum in place of the cornstarch. I think I’ll try this, thanks!
I added vodka for a hot chocolate toddy.
Perfect for this colllllllldddd northeastern winter night 🙂
Hey Katie, you’ve mentioned your Italian heritage a few times.. I wonder if you’ve ever had TORTA CAPRESE? Now, THAT would be the perfect recipe for you to veganize/make a healthier version… no? YES, if you ask me anyway, hahah.
Just throwing ideas at you.. in case you haven’t enough of them right now (yeah, right…)
Sounds like a yummy challenge?
I will definitely put it on my list of things to try!
Hi katie! I’m a 12 years old girl from Italy, i know you love hot chocolate from cafes, but here most of cafes use a powder called Ciobar for hot chocolate, it is really good,but i’m sure your recipe is better. My mom used to make hot chocolate with potato starch, Milk , cocoa powder and some cane sugar.
I think I know how I’ll use that glucomannan powder in my cupboard!
I love to use Trader Joes coconut cream when making hot chocolate……decadent! I need to try this recipe with it, I know I will love it……but not till it starts to cool off around here!
Can you tell me how many this recipe would serve?
Katie’s recipes usually list serving size in the nutrition facts links. This one says it serves 6. Hope that helps! 🙂