I started taking French in fifth grade, and I’m fairly certain it was right around that same time I first heard tales of le chocolat chaud from my French teacher. Hyped as a thick, decadent mug of melted chocolate, it was when I was sixteen and sitting at a little café in Paris that I first truly understood those tales. The hype was absolutely every bit legit. French hot chocolate is about as delicious a thing that has ever been created. It’s more dessert than beverage for sure and it is undeniably a perfect way to warm up now that we’re into the real, deep cold of winter when spring still seems so far off. Generally it is served with whipped cream, which helps to balance out all of the chocolate and cut some of the sweetness. The pairing of the two is just heavenly.
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 12 oz dark chocolate
- Whipped cream
- Add milk, powdered sugar and heavy cream to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until simmering, being careful not to scald or boil.
- While the milk mixture is heating, chop the dark chocolate. (For best flavor, use a good quality chocolate that's at least 60 - 70% cacao.)
- Once simmering and heated thoroughly, remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate to the saucepan.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Pour into small mugs and serve immediately with whipped cream and a little extra chopped chocolate on top.
[Recipe + art direction by Cyd Converse | Photos by Alice G. Patterson.]
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Monday 2nd of October 2017
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Jessica
Tuesday 30th of May 2017
So do you add the powdered sugar to the simmering mixture at the same time as the chocolate?
Cyd Converse
Tuesday 30th of May 2017
Hey Jessica - yes! Totally an omission there, but it all goes in together to simmer. I hope this helps and I hope you LOVE it! xoxo
Eden Passante
Thursday 23rd of February 2017
This looks so rich and delicious!!
Cyd Converse
Thursday 23rd of February 2017
It is soooo good, Eden! Not gonna lie, friend, not gonna lie. ;-)