Italian Hot Chocolate Recipe

Chop chocolate

Roughly chop the bittersweet chocolate so it melts quickly and evenly.

Warm dairy

In a small saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Warm over medium-low heat until steam rises and small bubbles form around the edge — do not boil (about 4–6 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Combine cocoa & sugar

Whisk the unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt together in a small bowl to remove lumps, then whisk into the warm milk mixture until fully incorporated.

Melt chocolate

Reduce heat to low. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and stir constantly until fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy (about 2–3 minutes). If necessary, lift the pan occasionally from the heat to avoid scorching.

Finish base

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Keep the hot chocolate warm on the lowest heat or transfer to a pre-warmed serving vessel.

Whip cream

In a chilled bowl, whip the cold whipping cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form (about 2–3 minutes by hand or 1–2 minutes with a mixer). Do not overwhip; it should be light and billowy.

Assemble

Pour about 1 1/2 cups of the hot chocolate into a warmed mug. Stir in the Sambuca Molinari (1 tablespoon) gently to combine. Taste and adjust liqueur amount if desired (up to 1 1/2 tbs for a stronger anise presence).

Top & garnish

Spoon or pipe a generous dollop of whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate. Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings over the whipped cream and, if using, lightly scatter the toasted anise seeds for extra aroma and crunch.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Provide a small spoon for stirring and eating the whipped cream.