Have you guys ever had thick Italian hot chocolate? It is hands down the best hot chocolate in the world!! The first time I ever had it was my first trip to Rome about 9 years ago. In all those years I have not forgotten that first hot chocolate. It was a very special experience for me. It was the main reason that Cliff and I went back to Rome last year. That, and the gelato.
If you have never had thick Italian hot chocolate let me explain it to you. Imagine hot chocolate pudding. That is exactly what it tastes like. You can put your spoon in it and the spoon will stand up. It is that thick. And it is wonderful. Every morning Cliff and would go to the bar and he would get some kind of coffee and an orange juice. I would get a pastry and a hot chocolate. Some days I would even get hot chocolate for dinner. We were only in Rome for 4 nights and I needed to get as much hot chocolate as I could!
Drinking hot chocolate in Rome
Hot chocolate in Las Vegas
I always wondered how they made it so thick. I recently discovered that the trick is using cornstarch. How simple! I can make hot chocolate at home????? This could be dangerous. My hot chocolate turned out really great. If I made it again I would probably use semi-sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. But that’s just my personal preference. If you like hot chocolate, you will love this thick Italian hot chocolate!!!
Here is what you’ll need
First, chop the chocolate finely
Whisk the half-and-half with the cornstarch
In a pot bring the remaining half-and-half to a boil and add the sugar
Add the cornstarch/half-and-half mixture
Whisk til smooth
Remove from heat and add the chocolate
Stir until the chocolate is completely melted
Grab a good book and pretend that you’re sitting in a sidewalk cafe in Rome!
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons sugar (if you use semi-sweet chocolate reduce this to 2 tablespoons)
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (next time I plan to try semi-sweet chocolate)
- In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the half-and-half with the cornstarch, whisking until smooth. It is important that there are no lumps.
- Place the remaining half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. When the half-and-half begins to bubble around the edges whisk in the sugar.
- Whisk in the cornstarch mixture until the half-and-half thickens slightly, usually less than a minute.
- Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the chocolate until very smooth.
- Pour into two cups.
