Before I came to Italy, I had not tried Italian style hot chocolate. Now though, I have and have tried thick Italian hot chocolate often topped with ‘panna montata’ whipped cream more than a few times.
Hot chocolate Italian style is not the watery though pleasant drink I was used to in the United Kingdom. Instead, it’s very thick, creamy and delicious. Well, I think so.
Having a hot chocolate, which I did today along with my Italian other half and our son, is a sign that winter has arrived.
Most of Italy’s coffee bars offer hot chocolate and trying one is a must if you are up in Italy’s mountains in the winter months on a ski trip maybe.
Where can you find the best hot chocolate in Italy? I have no idea but going on a hot chocolate crawl would be a fun, if fattening, thing to do. Still, you only live once and the occasional hot chocolate binge won’t do you any harm. Doctors may disagree but, hey, a little bit of what you feel like always does you good!
Here are a couple of where to find good Italian hot chocolate in Italy tips for you:
Hot Chocolate in Rome
Since I wrote this, Michael Woodward told me about somewhere in Rome which he thinks does a very good hot chocolate:
@newsfromitaly #HotChocolate : Bar Jonathan in front of the Lateran Basilica has best I’ve found in Rome.
— Michael Woodward (@shotwithspirit) January 7, 2015
If you find yourself in Rome during the winter months, why not pop into Bar Jonathan to try the hot chocolate and see if it’s worthy of Michael’s acclaim.
Hot Choc in Milan
If you find yourself in Milan during the cold season, then Sandy Colaizzi certainly enjoyed the hot chocolate she tried:
@newsfromitaly had hot chocolate in Milano at http://www.cioccolatitaliani.it today. The best ever!! #CIOCCOLATO #milano
— Sandy Colaizzi (@sandyapplevac) January 7, 2015
I’ve seen the Cioccolatitaliani places in Milan and had been wondering whether they were worth trying. Seems they are, fellow hot choc fans. I’d welcome more opinions, though.
Make Italian Style Thick and Creamy Hot Chocolate at Home
Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Rome, Milan or elsewhere in Italy; read on to find out what you can use to make yourself tasty Italian style hot chocolate at home.
If you haven’t tried hot chocolate in Italy, try it.
If you have, where was it that you had the most memorable hot choc? Let us all know so we can head to wherever it was and try it for ourselves.
Hot Chocolate Mixes
As promised, here are some mixes you can use to make a great cup of warming thick Italian style hot chocolate at home. If you can find them, Caffarel and Babbi both make good hot chocolate beverage mixes. A very common brand here in Italy is Cameo Ciobar Classic
– which can be found on Amazon.com – and it’s a regular occupant of our kitchen cupboard here in Milan, Italy 😉
If you cannot find the hot chocolate mixes, it’s not too difficult to make thick hot chocolate from scratch. Here’s a recipe: DIY Italian Style Hot Chocolate
Italy’s hot chocolate beverages are definitely something to look forward to when the weather goes cold. Slurp!
KareninCalabria says
Hi Alex,
Great topic! I’m not a coffee drinker, so I’m always looking for an alternative beverage when everyone sidles up to the bar to throw back a coffee or savor a morning cappuccino. Tea often takes too long!
I lived several years in Calabria and the first time I ordered a hot chocolate, I was very pleasantly surprised – as you mentioned, much thicker than I expected. But I also found that the recipes varied from bar to bar – from pudding-like versions in which the spoon practically stood up on its own (not my favorite) to a gratifyingly creamy concoction garnished with tiny chocolate puffs.
I, too, enjoyed Ciobar at home, when in Italy. It’s a lot less sweet than most American hot chocolate mixes, which by the way, recommend using water in their instructions. Thus, as you say, the watery excuse for hot chocolate. There’s nothing like whole milk!
Alex Roe says
Hi Karen,
It’s true that the hot chocs in Italy’s bars can vary a lot – from almost watery to as thick as syrup! Portions (and prices) can vary a lot too.
Ciobar (I looked on the packet) does contain some sugar but not too much. In Italy’s bars, you may also find sachets of sugar on the hot choc saucer although I never add it! The whipped cream used may also contain sugar.
As you say, much better with milk than with water.
Cheers,
Alex
KareninCalabria says
Yes, I’ve always wondered who actually takes advantage of the sugar packets placed on the saucer…
All the best,
Karen
Alex Roe says
Someone must or else they wouldn’t offer them. Odd.
Sweet cheers,
Alex.
Michael says
bar Jonathan opposite Lateran Basilica has the best hot chocolate I have found in Rome (after much painstaking research) They use Cameo Ciobar. It is a great little cafe, loved by the locals.
Yetta says
An Italian friend once issued me with these instructions which work well for me:
2 tbls cocoa powder
1 – 2 tbls sugar
1 tbls corn flour
2,5 dl milk
Mix together cocoa, sugar and corn flour very well.
Pour in a little milk and mix well, before adding the
remainder of the milk (little by little)
Bring to the boil in a largish pan, stirring constantly
until it reaches boiling point.
Switch off the heat and continue stirring for about
a minute.
Alex Roe says
Thanks for this Yetta – I’ll create a post about this so others can make their own Italian style thick hot chocolate.
Best,
Alex
Kristen says
Love thick Italian hot chocolate! Still have a packet of Ciobar in the cupboard. But it is easy to make at home, without a prepackaged mix. The secret is corn starch.
Alex Roe says
Thanks, Kristen – I shall hunt down a recipe for homemade thick hot choc!
Cheers,
Alex