FOOD NEWS
You Should Add This Italian Version Of Hot Chocolate On Your Bucket List
BY Wendy Leigh
One beloved drink served in almost any Italian coffee bar is the cioccolata calda, or "hot chocolate." Thankfully, you can make the drink yourself at home.
Compared to the American version, cioccolata calda is much thicker, creamier, richer, and has a velvety texture. This gives it a totally different hot chocolate experience.
It's made with real dark chocolate or high-grade unsweetened cocoa powder and a cornstarch thickener. The cocoa has no added ingredients aside from a tiny amount of sugar.
The needed ingredients are available in most supermarkets. You can mix the two methods; just be sure to avoid using milk chocolate bars or cocoa mixes with additives.
When mixing methods, you'll need whole or 2% milk, chopped dark/bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, cornstarch, a couple of teaspoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, make a separate cornstarch slurry, and heat the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the warm milk and gently stir until melted and creamy.