It’s been uncharacteristically, unacceptably cold here in Italy lately. Icy winds from Siberia have plunged the continent into a late freezing winter. So it’s the perfect time to duck into a cafe for some hot chocolate. Italian hot chocolate and hot mulled wine, vin brulé, are two of the best parts of winter in Italy.
Around here though, hot chocolate is a commitment. You won’t get a watery cup of powdered cocoa with a marshmallow bobbing around. Cioccolata calda is an intense, thick cup of melted chocolate. It’s so rich and filling that it’s practically a meal.
This hot chocolate is the very definition of luxurious- it’s sweet yes, but also so syrupy thick that it would almost be easier to eat it with a spoon. I suggest you take yours con panna– with whipped cream. The cream adds a little bit of very welcome acidity to all the richness.
So enjoy, and hopefully this brief but brutal Italian winter gets a move on, so that we can eat chocolate gelato soon instead.