French Hot Chocolate

This homemade French hot chocolate is as thick and decadent as the ones served in Parisian cafes! Only 6 ingredients, no heavy cream needed.

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Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: French hot chocolate

Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 364kcal

Author: Louisa

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Heat slowly, whisking occasionally. Do not let the milk come to a full boil.
After 4 to 6 minutes, or once steam begins rising from the surface, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the chopped chocolate to the hot milk, stirring continuously until completely melted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Return the pan to medium heat and bring the hot chocolate to a gentle simmer for 2 to 4 minutes, whisking continuously until it reaches your desired thickness.
Turn off the heat, then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Pour into a glass or cup and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

For the best French hot chocolate, use high-quality dark or bittersweet chocolate bars. Avoid chocolate chips, and choose chocolate with a high cocoa content—ideally around 65% cocoa solids.
Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat to speed things up. Let your hot chocolate simmer gently so it can thicken properly.
If your chocolate chaud forms a skin, just whisk it back into the mixture. You can also just scoop it out if it’s too thick to whisk back in.