There is hot chocolate, and then there is French Hot Chocolate. Rich, velvety and luxurious, you won’t want to drink any other kind! Serve it in a vintage cup and saucer with a dollop of whipped cream for a grown up indulgent treat, or pour it into a mug and top with marshmallows to fulfil your sweet cravings this winter!
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Made with real chocolate, the texture and taste of this hot chocolate is simply incomparable. What’s more, you can make it with vegan milk if you want to make it dairy free.
The first time I drank this hot chocolate was in a famous Parisian café. In the heart of the Latin Quarter, in a café where philosophers debated in times gone by, I ordered a hot chocolate, thinking I would be getting the British powdered kind. I was not prepared! The waiter brough what looked like a tea pot to the table, and proceeded to pour out the thickest, darkest hot chocolate I had ever seen. One taste, and I was in heaven!
Since then, I have been on a quest to recreate that experience of perfectly smooth, velvety chocolate. And this is how I do it!
What Makes French Hot Chocolate Special?
French Hot Chocolate is a cut above other kinds because of its thick, velvety texture and creamy taste. It uses high quality chocolate with no cocoa powder. You can add cream if you wish, but I think it is plenty rich enough made with just milk. It is truly the most decadent drink you can make. It is so luxurious that you could even serve it as dessert!
Ingredients Needed to Make French Hot Chocolate
The ingredient list is not long, as you will see. The most important thing is the quality of the ingredients you are using, especially the chocolate.
- 200g high quality chocolate
- 1l milk
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 250ml whipping cream (optional)
- 1tsp cinnamon (optional)
Chocolate
The chocolate is the star of the show and you need to make sure you get the best quality you can. The chocolate should be at least 53% cocoa solids but is should be sweetened otherwise your hot chocolate will be much too bitter.
I generally buy a dessert chocolate here in France. However, my experience of dessert chocolate in the UK has not been good… So, make sure you look at the cocoa solids in the ingredients list before you buy your chocolate otherwise you might be disappointed!
Milk
You can use semi skimmed or whole milk for this recipe. I have also made it with almond milk or oat milk in the past. Although the finished hot chocolate is not as creamy, it is still very good.
Vanilla
I love adding vanilla to hot chocolate, it really helps to bring out the sweetness and provides extra decadence.
Cream
The cream in this recipe is entirely optional. In fact, you may find that the hot chocolate is so rich, there is no need for any cream at all! However, if you want to go that extra step, whip up some cream to dollop on the top of your cup of hot chocolate. Or, if you would prefer, you can add the cream directly to the hot chocolate making the chocolate flavour a little lighter, but the texture even creamier.
Cinnamon
I like to add a little cinnamon to my hot chocolate, especially around Christmas. The gentle warmth of the spice goes so well with the chocolate and makes an extra-special drink.
How to Make French Hot Chocolate
This recipe takes a little time, but it is not difficult.
Start by warming up your milk until it is hot but not boiling. You need to keep an eye on the pan as milk tends to boil over very quickly.
While the milk is warming, chop up your chocolate.
Pour 200ml of milk into another saucepan and add the chocolate. Heat gently, stirring continuously, until the chocolate has melted.
Slowly add the rest of the milk, stirring all the time. Add the vanilla and cinnamon, if using, and continue to cook on a very low heat for 10 mins. During those 10 mins keep stirring the hot chocolate. This is what will give it the velvety smooth texture.
While the chocolate is cooking, make the whipped cream by pouring very cold whipping cream into a food processor with the whip attachment. Whip on high until the cream is well thickened and starting to hold its shape. Be careful not to over-whip the cream otherwise the texture will be grainy and it might even start to turn to butter! Notice that I do not add any sugar to the whipped cream as I find the hot chocolate sweet enough already.
Serve the hot chocolate in your favourite cup or small mug with a dollop of whipped cream on top and enjoy this truly decadent treat! Only small portions of this drink are needed – it is extremely rich!
Tips for Adjusting the Sweetness
I prefer not to add sugar or sweeteners to my hot chocolate since the chocolate itself is already sweet enough for me. However, if you prefer, or if your chocolate is slightly bitter, you can add sugar, honey or maple syrup to taste. I suggest making the hot chocolate as described above and tasting it before adding any extra sweetener.
What Can You Serve French Hot Chocolate With?
I love to drink this hot chocolate along side some buttery brioche or a croissant. It also goes very well with shortbread cookies.
If you are on a gluten free diet, you might enjoy these Sugar Free Cookies with Almond Flour, Honey and Cinnamon which would also go very well with a cup of hot chocolate!
If you are looking to balance out the richness, you could also serve it with some fresh fruit such as oranges or clementines.
Storing French Hot Chocolate
This hot chocolate keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can easily be reheated in a pan. Just make sure you keep the heat low, so that the hot chocolate doesn’t boil, and keep on stirring!
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Will you give this easy but decadent recipe a try? Did you try a variation? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your experiences!
If you’re looking for other recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth, check out my dessert recipes here.
French Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 200 g high quality chocolate
- 1 l milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 250 ml whipping cream optional
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Start by warming up your milk until it is hot but not boiling. You need to keep an eye on the pan as milk tends to boil over very quickly.
- While the milk is warming, chop up your chocolate.
- Pour 200ml of milk into another saucepan and add the chocolate. Heat gently, stirring continuously, until the chocolate has melted.
- Slowly add the rest of the milk, stirring all the time. Add the vanilla and cinnamon, if using, and continue to cook on a very low heat for 10 mins. During those 10 mins keep stirring the hot chocolate. This is what will give it the velvety smooth texture.
- While the chocolate is cooking, make the whipped cream by pouring very cold whipping cream into a food processor with the whip attachment. Whip on high until the cream is well thickened and starting to hold its shape. Be careful not to over-whip the cream otherwise the texture will be grainy and it might even start to turn to butter! Notice that I do not add any sugar to the whipped cream as I find the hot chocolate sweet enough already.
- Serve the hot chocolate in your favourite cup or small mug with a dollop of whipped cream on top and enjoy this truly decadent treat! Only small portions of this drink are needed – it is extremely rich!
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