Thick Italian Hot Chocolate and HUGE $145 Giveaway

Italian Sizzling Chocolate “cioccolata calda” is like no different sizzling chocolate!  It’s wealthy, creamy, and thick, with an virtually pudding-like consistency.  It’s an ideal consolation drink to sip in entrance of a hearth whereas snuggled beneath a comfortable blanket with my canines and cats warming my ft.  Overlook concerning the bitter chilly exterior, this sizzling chocolate will blissfully heat your soul!

This sizzling chocolate differs from what is often made within the States. Sure, it’s actually creamy and easy.  Nevertheless it’s distinctive as a result of its a lot thicker, with virtually a pudding-like consistency that may severely be eaten with a spoon.  Are you aware the distinction between an everyday ice cream shake and a rock-hard (concrete) malt?  That’s how one can envision the thickness of Italian Sizzling Chocolate.

Throughout a go to with my household in November, when the northern Italian mountain climate within the village of Montecreto is bone-cold, my cousins served me my first cup of this darkish elixir.  I had by no means identified that Italians created and loved a singular model of sizzling chocolate till that second. 

In addition they offered a plate of home made “biscotti” which is usually paired with sizzling chocolate in Italy.  How excellent!  It may simply have been dessert for me!

Dipping crispy Italian biscotti right into a steaming cup of this indulgent sizzling chocolate on a European mountainside?  I can’t consider a extra quintessential winter state of affairs. 

This sizzling chocolate is completely decadent and completely Italian.  It’s not like another chocolate drink . . . taking sizzling chocolate to the intense!  It’s the last word indulgence of an explosion of deep, chocolate taste

Whenever you go to Italy and search for this pleasant cup of mocha, don’t count on to see it anyplace till the climate is chilly.  Italians are very seasonal, and that’s when this velvety sizzling drink is served in properties and occasional bars.  Throughout summer time, it’s time for ice-cold limoncello and apertivo season.  However you possibly can all the time make this at residence with the basic recipe that I’m sharing with you under.

imported Italian chocolate: Perugina

Andiamo a Cucina! (Let’s go to the kitchen!)

So let’s collect up all the components you’ll have to make Italian Sizzling Chocolate

• Chocolate – Use high-quality darkish chocolate with over 70% cocoa, which is the important thing to creating completely thick Italian Sizzling Chocolate.  I exploit Perugina from Italy or Ghiradelli. For extra sweetness and fewer richness, you should utilize high-quality milk chocolate as a substitute.  A mixture of each darkish bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder magnifies the chocolate taste on this drink.
• Cocoa Powder – Use unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, ideally the most effective, Guittard.  Added for getting that additional chocolatey richness.  Ensure that it’s unsweetened cocoa powder since utilizing sweetened cocoa powder makes the sugar aspect within the drink too sturdy and overpowering.
• Milk – Use entire milk to create an additional creamy drink as most well-liked in Italy.  It’s the bottom of sizzling chocolate.  When you want much less fats, be at liberty to make use of skim milk.  Utilizing 2% will nonetheless lead to a scrumptious drink with good physique, however much less fats. Different choices you possibly can strive embrace almond , oat, or soy milk for dairy-free choices.
• Sugar – To sweeten the new chocolate a bit, add a little bit little bit of granulated white sugar which is essentially the most generally used.  Uncooked cane or caster sugar can be utilized as a substitute.  
• Cornstarch – That is the key ingredient used to get the excellent pudding-like thickness and texture that Italian Sizzling Chocolate is thought for, add cornstarch.  When you choose much less your sizzling chocolate to be much less thick, merely alter/scale back the quantity of cornstarch added to the drink.  You received’t style the cornstarch because it incorporates no taste.  It is usually gluten-free.  You may substitute cornstarch with potato starch or rice 4.  Earlier than including it to the new chocolate, you merely whisk a small quantity in milk after which stir into the new chocolate to complete it off.
• Salt – Utilizing a pinch solely, will convey out all the scrumptious flavors, particularly the wealthy chocolate notes

How To Make Italian Sizzling Chocolate

This Italian sizzling chocolate recipe couldn’t be simpler and solely takes minutes to organize with a handful of components by following these easy steps.

• In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the milk with the cornstarch (to make a ‘slurry’) till all the lumps are dissolved. Put aside for a second.
• On a medium warmth burner, in a medium-sized pan, pour in 1-½ cups of milk and warmth to simply earlier than it boils. Cut back the warmth to the bottom warmth degree.
• Add the cornstarch-milk ‘slurry’ combination that you simply put aside. TIP: Stir this cornstarch combination just a bit bit earlier than including to the pan of sizzling milk because the cornstarch will settle to the underside of the small bowl of milk whereas ready to be added.
• Proceed to prepare dinner this combination at a simmer, whereas stirring regularly till it thickens properly. Bubbles will type across the edges of the pan because it simmers. Don’t boil, although.
• Flip the warmth to medium-low and add the broken-up chocolate items to the saucepan. Stir/whisk regularly till the chocolate is melted and a creamy, thick texture develops. It solely takes a couple of minutes.
• When the milk has heated via and the chocolate is totally melted, add the dark cocoa powder. Proceed to stir/whisk collectively properly.
• Add the salt and sugar and stir/whisk to dissolve into the combination.
• Style for sweetness, adjusting with extra sugar for those who choose (and we do)!
• When the new chocolate is easy and thickened up, serve instantly in mugs together with spoons. Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
• Get pleasure from this luxury Italian Sizzling Chocolate deal with!

Please scroll down for the complete free printable recipe under