French Hot Chocolate

4.67 from 12 votes

Feb 15, 2019, Updated Jun 05, 2024

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French Hot Chocolate – thick, rich, and utterly delicious! Just like Angelina’s Hot Chocolate in Paris.

Have you ever heard of French hot chocolate? They are known for their hot chocolate being different than we know in the United States. There are no packets of stuff to mix with water, it is an entire experience in itself. Don’t get me wrong I am never going to turn down a Kahlua Hot Chocolate, but this is something else.

Angelina’s in Paris is known as one of the premier spots to get this drinking chocolate. And drinking chocolate is a more accurate description. It is so thick and rich, it really seems like you are just drinking melted chocolate.

A cup of hot chocolate, with Chocolate and Hot chocolate

What is French Hot Chocolate

It is a super thick and decadent hot chocolate. It is made with dark chocolate and often times heavy cream or whole milk and served with fresh whipped cream. You may hear it called Parisian Hot Chocolate or in France you will see Chocolat Chaud. This is truly a chocolate lovers dream come true.

Often times when you see a homemade hot chocolate recipe it will call for milk, chocolate, and sugar. Now this recipe isn’t all that different. But it is the ratios that make it something extra special. There is so much more chocolate in this drinking chocolate than there is in traditional hot chocolate from the States. You just have to try it to understand.

How to Make Hot Chocolate

This uses the same process that you already know, there is nothing difficult about it. It really is just simmer milk or heavy cream on the stove and then melt in the chocolate. I used powdered sugar in this, because I wanted to make sure it was super creamy.

Tips for Making French Hot Chocolate

Use the best quality chocolate you can find. The chocolate is the thing that stands out in this recipe. You want to use at least a 70% dark chocolate. Skip the chocolate chips in this, they have additives in them, and will not melt and be nearly as creamy as a bar.
Heavy Cream vs Whole Milk. I used mostly whole milk in mine, because heavy cream was just a bit too much. But if you want to go for it, by all means, go for it! In our taste test the whole milk was exactly as we remembered our hot chocolate being in Paris.
Heat the milk slowly. You would not want to scald your milk or heat it too quickly. So just be patient as you get it warm. Trust me, you will love the end results!

If you have a trip to Paris in your future, head over to Angelina’s and try the real stuff! But if you aren’t, you can still make this at home. And you can feel like you are sitting at a table at a cafe in Paris. Traditionally it is served with a bowl of fresh whipped cream on the side that you can just scoop into your cup.

As the whipped cream slowly melts, you get the most delicious hot chocolate you have ever tasted. This is nothing like you have ever tasted before, and it will be hard to go back. Be sure to check out my Where to Eat in Paris if you are looking for tips on where to go when you are there! I also made Homemade Croissants from our trip, so go look at those too!

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4.67 from 12 votes