Drinks
Thick Italian hot chocolate with dark chocolate
Italian-style hot chocolate with milk, cocoa and dark chocolate, thickened with a little cornstarch. Four small cups with a rich, spoonable texture.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Italian
Ingredients
Method
Chop the chocolate
Finely chop the dark chocolate so it melts evenly. Measure the milk and set aside 100 ml cold; keep the remaining 400 ml separate.
Mix the dry ingredients
Sift cocoa and cornstarch into a bowl. Add the sugar and mix, breaking up any lumps before adding liquid.
Make a smooth slurry
Whisk the reserved 100 ml cold milk into the dry ingredients a little at a time until smooth, with no dry pockets.
Warm the milk
Heat the remaining 400 ml milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming. Do not let it boil over.
Thicken
Whisk in the cocoa mixture. Cook at a gentle bubble for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly along the bottom, until the mixture coats a spoon.
Melt the chocolate
Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until completely melted and glossy; avoid hard boiling after adding it.
Pour
Divide between four heatproof cups, about 150 ml each. The chocolate should fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon; it thickens further as it cools.
Serve carefully
Let stand briefly so it is comfortable to drink or eat with a spoon. Serve without extra cream or toppings to match the listed ingredients and nutrition.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Contains milk. Cornstarch means corn starch, not cornmeal. These are four small, rich cups, not large mugs. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat gently, stirring; extra milk changes the quantities and nutrition. The estimate uses a generic 70–85% dark chocolate reference, so your brand may differ.
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Nutrition facts
1 of 4 servings
- Protein
- 6.6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29.3 g
- Fat
- 15.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 8.8 g
- Fiber
- 4.1 g
- Sugars
- 18.6 g
- Sodium
- 60 mg
Approximate estimate, not a measurement of the cooked dish. Brands and draining change values; nutrients with incomplete data are omitted. Generic references for prepared mustard, cream, sweet potato, oil and chocolate; specific varieties and brands can differ.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Italian-style hot chocolate with milk, cocoa and dark chocolate, thickened with a little cornstarch. Four small cups with a rich, spoonable texture.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Italian hot chocolate so thick?
This version combines dark chocolate with a small amount of cornstarch cooked in milk. It is intended to be spoonable.
Can I leave out the cornstarch?
You can, but it will be thinner and no longer match this formulation. Do not replace it with wheat flour in the same amount.
Why are there lumps?
Starch must first be mixed with cold milk. Sifting the powders and whisking continuously during cooking also helps.
