Cioccolata calda
Thick hot chocolate
Cioccolata calda: Italy's spoon-thick hot chocolate with whipped cream
Italian hot chocolate is not a milky drink but almost a pudding: thick enough to coat a spoon, made with real dark chocolate and cocoa thickened with a little starch. On cold winter afternoons in Turin, Florence and Perugia, families sit in historic cafés with a cup topped with whipped cream (con panna), dipping biscuits into it. Children love it. Chef's tip: mix the cornflour and cocoa with a little cold milk to a smooth paste first; dropped straight into hot milk, they form lumps.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 ⅞ oz dark chocolatefinely chopped
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour
- ½ cup double cream (optional)whipped, to serve
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: In a small pan, whisk 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cornflour with 4 tablespoons of the cold 1 ¾ cups whole milk into a smooth paste.
Step 2: Whisk in the rest of the milk and heat gently, whisking, until steaming.
Step 3: Add 2 ⅞ oz dark chocolate and keep whisking over a low heat for 4–5 minutes, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Common mistake: boiling hard; the chocolate burns on the bottom. Check the temperature before giving it to children.
5 minStep 4: Pour into cups, top with ½ cup double cream, if using, and serve with a spoon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cioccolata calda take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of cocoa powder?
- Drinking chocolate, same amount (sweeter, so cut the sugar).
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Perfect for:Winter warmers