I was thinking today how I usually make it to Italy around November or December each year. As much as I love Italian summers, winter over there is also pretty magical. In the street markets of Naples you can find a great number of stalls displaying without doubt the most elaborate nativity sets around. On one occasion, whilst perusing the seemingly infinite permutations of this historical scene, and stopping at what appeared to be a hyper-realistic miniature wood-fired oven with tiny figurines in motion around it, the film Love Actually came to mind as I asked myself, exactly how many pizzaiola were present at the birth of Jesus? Artistic licence granted and historical discrepancies aside on the pizza front, it’s abundantly clear that the Italians fully embrace winter and its festivities.

During this time of year I can usually be found bundled up in warm clothes, wandering around the streets of Rome, panettone swinging from one arm and a cup of super thick hot chocolate in hand. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of cold climates, but I absolutely love Rome’s mild winter afternoons, navigating those decadently dark cobbles all around the city, gleaming and twinkling from the sporadic rain showers.

And of course, not content to just think about those lovely memories, I started to wonder how that silky smooth, dense cioccolata calda is actually made. I have seen it on the menu (ok fine, ordered it) at many a wintry European establishment, particularly, come to think of it, when there are mountains involved. Maybe this recipe can only be made by an ancient Italian nonno, deep in the mountains, with a very specific kind of giant copper pot and a unique blend of cocoa beans, and plant extracts indigenous to the area. Thickened by fresh arrowroot perhaps? Boiled for many hours and stirred continuously on an open fire surely? Well, I am rather thrilled to tell you that this is absolutely not the case. A little research tells me that those cobbled cafes, slope-side chalets, and all the other places that sell you this absurdly exquisite delicacy for €5 a cup, are, for want of a better term, totally having you on!

Not only does is take 5 minutes to boil up a batch of this glorious, chocolate satin, it is made with ingredients you already have in your cupboard. No mysterious mountainside herbs, and not a copper pot in sight. All you need is some good quality 70 percent dark chocolate, milk of your choosing, cocoa powder, dark brown sugar, a splash of vanilla extract, and, wait for it….a little pinch of thickening, velvetising magic from none other than your everyday sauce saviour, Mr Cornflour himself.

Now I want to be very clear about one thing. Just because the mystery of this unctuously thick chocolate miracle of a drink has been debunked, that does not make it a drop less magical.

Trust me you won’t believe how quick and simple it is to make the real thing.

So without further ado, prepare to be totally transported to your favourite snowy European slopes, lake, or city, with just one sip!

Thick Italian hot chocolate

Recipe

Serves 2-3:

Ingredients:

400ml semi-skimmed milk

100 grams of 70% dark chocolate (I used Menier)

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 splash of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cornflour

Method:

1) Place milk in a large, heavy bottomed pan and turn the heat to medium.

2) Break up the dark chocolate and microwave in short bursts, until fully melted.

3) When the milk is steaming (almost boiling, with some small bubbles forming around the edges of the milk) add in the melted chocolate. Turn the heat to low, and whisk until mostly incorporated. There may be flecks of chocolate still, but that’s ok at this stage.

4) Add the vanilla, cocoa powder and dark brown sugar, and cornflour and continue to whisk.

6) Turn up the heat to medium high, and while whisking bring the whole mixture to the boil. The whisking action will incorporate some air into the chocolate and also break down any lumps. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as your whisk to stop the mixture burning on the bottom.

7) After around 2 minutes of vigorous boiling and whisking, the chocolate will be thickened. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large jug. Pour into cups and serve immediately.