Drinkable and deeply chocolatey
French chocolat chaud is smooth and sippable… usually just milk and real chocolate, lightly sweetened so cacao flavor leads. For style notes and typical ratios used at Paris cafés, see Pardon Your French and Mad About Macarons, both of which describe whole milk with quality dark chocolate and minimal sugar. Parisian overview and ingredient guidance. pardonyourfrench.com
Watch the YouTube video where we try different hot chocolate recipes.
Our tested formula at a glance
- 500 mL whole milk
- 100 g bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped… about ⅔ cup if using chips
- Up to 1–2 tsp sugar or 1 sachet sucre vanillé, to taste
- Pinch of salt
French Hot Chocolate… Chocolat chaud
Silky, café-style French hot chocolate that remains drinkable. Final tested measurements used in our video.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 500 mL Whole Milk
- 100 g Bittersweet Chocolate finely chopped (about 2/3 cup if using chips)
- 8.5 g Granulated Sugar 1 to 2 tsp
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
- Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate.
- Whisk until melted and smooth. Return to low heat briefly to fully dissolve and warm through without boiling
- Sweeten to taste with 1 to 2 tsp sugar or a sachet of sucre vanillé. Add a pinch of salt to balance
- For extra velvety texture, blend briefly with an immersion blender. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Watch the full European Hot Chocolate 3 Ways video on YouTube
Technique tips
- Melt gently. Heat milk until steaming, take off heat, then whisk in the chocolate. Return to low heat just to fully dissolve.
- Aim for velvety. A brief buzz with an immersion blender makes it café-level silky.
- Keep it balanced. A tiny pinch of salt and minimal sugar keep the chocolate front and center.
French café context
Curious how Parisians treat hot chocolate as a winter ritual… often served at goûter and made with real chocolate, not powder? Food & Wine has a helpful overview of the culture and variations, including nods to Angelina and Carette. Read more. Food & Wine
