How To Make An Easy Homemade Italian Hot Chocolate

I love hot chocolate but I don’t drink it nearly as much as I used to! I remember when I studied abroad in Florence for the Fall semester and was introduced to Italian hot chocolate. Honestly, I felt like I found something so special because I never had it before. Additionally, having Italian hot chocolate is an experience, much like Italy’s signature gelato. So, when thinking about Blogmas and the holidays in general, this treat came to mine. As a result, I’ve decided to try to make homemade Italian hot chocolate.

So, why is Italian hot chocolate different? Well, it’s thicker than regular hot chocolate. Additionally, I believe I’ve had some that had a tinge of hazelnut. So, when making this homemade Italian hot chocolate, I would recommend adding a bit of hazelnut. However, this recipe brought me close to my times of living in Florence. Of course, it’s not exactly the same, but the consistency is perfect! I also want to mention that I’ve had hot chocolate from Ciobar, but it seems really hard to get my hands on it now.

Using Ciobar is a super easy because it comes in little packets and you can do it on the stove. It’s one of my favorite brands! However, this homemade Italian hot chocolate recipe is pretty easy and you probably have all the ingredients already. Now, I was inspired to use this recipe, but I’ve tailored it a bit to get a super chocolate taste and a thicker consistency.

Homemade Italian Hot Chocolate

(serves 2-3)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups milk

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

So, first, you want to use a saucepan and melt the butter on low heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the cornstarch.

After the cornstarch is melted in and well-stirred, add in the milk and sugar. Increase to medium heat and stir continuously until brought to a boil. Here, I noticed that my mixture wasn’t as thick as I wanted, so I added a teaspoon of cornstarch.

Once the mixture has been brought to a boil, bring the heat back down to low. Then stir in the chocolate chips and cocoa powder. As you stir, the mixture should become thick. Also, make sure it’s well mixed. I had to keep stirring to get some of the clumps out.

When the hot chocolate is melted well, it’s time to serve! If serving in glass cups (like me), make sure to let the hot chocolate cool a bit!

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