French Hot Chocolate

French hot chocolate, or chocolat chaud, is a rich velvety drink made by melting good quality dark chocolate into heated whole milk. Often with a pinch of salt and optional sugar or vanilla to round out the flavour. Unlike cocoa powder-based hot chocolate, it relies on real chopped chocolate to create a deep indulgent taste and silky texture.

Choose high quality dark or bittersweet chocolate with around 60–70 percent cacao for the best balance of chocolate depth and melt-in-the-mouth smoothness. Chocolate chips aren’t ideal because they contain stabilisers that can make the drink grainy, so chopping a chocolate bar gives a much better result.

Absolutely. Authentic French hot chocolate doesn’t require cream. Whole milk alone with good chocolate will give you a rich and satisfying drink and it’s traditional in many classic recipes. If you want it extra luxurious you can add a splash of cream but it isn’t essential.

Heat the milk gently until just steaming then remove the pan from heat before adding the chopped chocolate. Whisk the chocolate in slowly until fully melted and silky. Avoid boiling the mixture once the chocolate is added, as high heat can cause the fat to separate and leave a grainy texture.

French hot chocolate uses real chopped chocolate and milk (and sometimes cream) to produce a rich, thicker drink with deeper chocolate flavour whereas regular hot chocolate is often made from cocoa powder and sugar and is lighter and sweeter.

Sure you can substitute whole milk with full-fat plant milks like oat, coconut or almond milk and choose dairy-free chocolate to make a dairy-free version. The texture may be slightly thinner, so adding more chocolate or a splash of coconut cream can help enrich the drink.

Traditional French hot chocolate is not overly sweet and many people prefer to add sugar only after tasting it, if at all. Start with a small amount and adjust to your taste since high quality dark chocolate already brings plenty of natural flavour.

Serve it in small cups or bowls so each serving feels rich and indulgent and consider topping it with softly whipped cream or a pinch of sea salt for extra depth of flavour. It’s traditionally enjoyed slowly, almost like a dessert in a cup.