The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! (2024)

FAQs

How do you make hot chocolate thicker? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

In mainland Europe (particularly Spain and Italy), hot chocolate is sometimes served very thick due to the use of a thickening agent such as cornstarch.

Italy is another European country that loves its thick hot chocolate. Their version of hot chocolate uses heavy cream and milk like the French. But unlike the French, they go an extra step by adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture even more. The result is a pudding-like consistency that is still pourable.

It is made with real, high-quality chocolate. European hot chocolate is typically made with dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, such as 70% or higher. This gives the hot chocolate a richer flavor and a thicker consistency.

For instance, when chocolate comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it seizes. Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become thick and lumpy.

Ingredients For Thick Hot Chocolate

Whole milk: To make your hot chocolate rich and creamy, you want the fat from whole milk. Do not use skim or low fat. Chocolate: You want the best high-quality chocolate you can afford as you'll taste the difference.

Italian hot chocolate is thicker, creamier, and generally much richer than traditional American hot chocolate, which is less dense and milkier. It is made with a few key ingredients: cocoa, sugar, and milk. In some cases, a little dark chocolate and a thickening agent, such as cornstarch, are added as well.

Both Switzerland and France are renowned for their hot chocolate, and each country offers a distinct experience. Switzerland is famous for its rich and indulgent hot chocolate. Swiss hot chocolate tends to be thick, creamy, and often made with high-quality chocolate.

What makes European-style hot chocolate so special? For starters, real milk. You won't find hot chocolate made with water, but with whole milk, and sometimes even a touch of heavy cream.

Mexican hot chocolate includes various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper. These ingredients give it a unique flavor that is sweet and slightly spicy.

How is Mexican hot chocolate different? ›

Mexican hot chocolate contains spices like cinnamon and chili and chopped bittersweet chocolate to create a very rich but less sweet flavor. Whereas traditional American hot chocolate is usually made with a combination of cocoa powder and/or chocolate and tends to be more on the sweet side.

Homemade hot chocolate recipes contain very few ingredients, and the largest ingredient is chocolate, so be picky. Use dark or bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate will be too sweet, at least for most European tastebuds.

Adding chili powder can give it a spicy kick that enhances the chocolate flavor. We also enjoy including special hot cocoa toppings to make the experience more festive and delightful. Stirring in hazelnut spread, a favorite pantry staple, would add a whole other taste and depth.

Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.

Cocoa powder is also another way to thicken your hot chocolate or drinking chocolate. Any good hot chocolate mix should be a dry mixture of actual grated hot chocolate, not just cocoa powder. However, you can add some cocoa powder to it in order to add a little more thickness to your hot chocolate.

How much water are you using? It might be worth checking how much water a packet is designed to be used with and whether you're adding too much. How much milk did you try adding? I find that even a small amount (a teaspoon or two) can make it noticeably creamier without too much effect on the taste.

For small amounts of chocolate, add unflavored fats such as coconut or canola oil, butter, or shortening. Start by adding 1 teaspoon, and add more as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Chocolate and water don't go together. Even a small splash of water in your melting chocolate will cause it to seize, becoming stiff and grainy instead of smooth and silky.