Is there something more comforting, delicious and wintery than a cup of hot chocolate? Is it possible to obtain it with less efforts but without buying the “ready made mix”? I say yes. And this one I’m talking about is not simple hot liquid cocoa, no, but a dense chocolatey delicacy, perfect for those moments in which you need something more than tea. Let’s prepare an Italian cioccolata calda!
And the surprising thing is that you can obtain it in 3 minutes. Thanks, microwave!
If I think to all those times I used to lose time and patience stirring milk in a saucepan to avoid clumps! So I decided it’s time to help all the comfort chocolate “cravers” like me.
It is super easy to obtain a scrumptious hot chocolate. By the way, do you know how we call it in Italy? Cioccolata calda [chok-koh-LAH-tah KAHL-dah]. Yes, caldo in Italian means hot. Cold is freddo [FREHD-doh].
Italian cioccolata calda
Italian cioccolata calda – Ingredients for 1 mug
These are naturally my ingredients. I suggest you to try, more or less sugar, more or less cocoa and find your own combination.
- 10 g bitter cocoa powder
- 12 g sugar
- 5 g potato flour or cornstarch
- a super tiny pinch of salt to exalt the flavour
- 125 ml milk (if you mix milk and cream the result would be absolutely lustful)
- 20 -25 g chocolate (I use it with 70% cocoa)
Italian cioccolata calda – Preparation
- Simply put all the “powder” ingredients in a mug and mix.
- Slowly add some milk and stir with a tea spoon in order to avoid the famous clumps.
- Add the remaining milk and mix a bit. Add the chocolate.
- Now put the mug in the microwave.
I use a microwave proof cup and also a microwave proof tea spoon, so that I leave it inside the cup and it doesn’t drip here and there. So whenever I stop the warming process in order to stir, the spoon is already there. Super super handy and convenient!
My microwave has a peculiar function called Jet Start, useful to quick reheating high water content foods, such as soups, coffee or tea. Each pressing corresponds to 30 seconds of warming up at the maximum power, which is 850 watts.
So, if you don’t have the Jet Start button, simply set the microwave to 850 watts.
I usually set the time to 90-120 seconds. Every now and then I open and I stir a bit. Usually by the end of the 90 second the chocolate is almost done. Anyway the final result depends on your own taste, whether you prefer it more or less dense. So you have to manage the timing.
Warning! Always watch over your chocolate, never leave, not even for 10 seconds. Instead you have to stay there and observe, mi raccomando! The two times I left the chocolate erupted.
So, OK, yes, you still have to mix and stir a bit, but way less than on the stove. Plus you do not dirty a pan, just the cup. An it takes just a couple of minutes.
What do you think? Have you ever tried to prepare Italian hot chocolate? What are you waiting for? Then think about me every time you do… Cheers!
