The holiday season is here! Holiday decorations, bright festive lights, ahh my favorite time of year. And of course with all the holiday cheer comes festive, indulgent food and drink. A staple is definitely hot chocolate, and sure the instant powder will do the trick. But to really indulge you have to have the European-style, thick, creamy hot chocolate. What’s so great about it you ask? Keep reading.

I first had real European-style hot chocolate in Kragujevac, Serbia years ago on a trip back home at a dessert/sweets shop called Srce (heart). Click here to see all their beautiful, delicious offerings. It was unlike anything I had tasted in the USA, and much different from the instant hot chocolate I grew up drinking or my mom’s kakao. This was thick, creamy, satisfying, and topped with delicious ground hazelnuts. Let’s just say I ordered it every single time, in the middle of summer, my entire stay there.

When then holiday season rolls around and I have guests over, I like to impress them by offering this hot chocolate in addition to various coffees and drinks. It always raises a few eyebrows and I inevitably end up jotting down the recipe for them to take home.

While this year I don’t have any guests coming over, I do like to make a few cups of this chocolate for us to enjoy. I store leftovers in the fridge to polish off the next day. When it chills it turns into a pudding/custard-like consistency and we love it that way too.

I hope you give this recipe a try this holiday season (or winter). I know you’ll love it as much as my guests do!

Looking for more dessert ideas? Check out the desserts section!

Topla Čokolada/European-Style Hot Chocolate

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: DessertCuisine: European, Balkan

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Hot chocolate unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Thick, creamy, and indulgent – perfect for the holiday season!

Ingredients

2 cups (470 ml) cold whole milk + 1/4 cup (60 ml)
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica)
1 bar (3.5 oz) 70% dark chocolate (100 g crne čokolade)
1 bar (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate (~100 g poluslatke čokolade, moze i mlečna)
1 teaspoon (3 g) cornstarch
Whipped cream, optional

Directions

In a medium pot, pour in the 2 cups (470 ml) of milk, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Bring the mixture up to a boil on medium-high heat stirring constantly to ensure all the sugar has dissolved.
While the milk is coming to a boil, chop your chocolate bars into small pieces. Set aside.
When the mixture reaches a boil, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Pour in all of your chopped chocolate and stir using a whisk until all the chocolate has melted.
Place the pot back on the stove and turn up the heat to medium.
In a cup or small bowl, mix together the remaining milk and cornstarch, whisking slightly to make sure all the cornstarch dissolves. Once the milk begins to boil again, pour in the cornstarch mixture and reduce the heat to low.
Stir the hot chocolate constantly while cooking on low heat until it thickens (about 2-3 minutes).
Remove from heat and serve immediately.