Paris is where my love for hot chocolate took on a whole new level. It isn't just a warm wintry drink, it's a dessert and my sustenance whilst spending hours working in cafés. Most often the second floor of Café de Flore in Saint Germain, famous for its hot chocolate, but less so for those magical weekday moments after the mid-afternoon rush where the upstairs room tucked away behind flower filled windows turns back to the Cafés literary roots, giving way to a workspace of business meetings, people typing away on their laptops, pouring over a scatter of papers with a perrier or espresso by their side... And what makes it all so magical is Café de Flore's perfect hot chocolate, served from a silver pitcher on a silver platter, thick and sweet like milky melted chocolate, and garnished with a wine glass filled with whipped cream. Real Parisian hot chocolate in all its unctuous indulgence is a truly gourmande experience.
Ingredients
(serves 4)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
200 grams fine semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
Drop of vanilla extract
Pinch of alt
Recipe
Bring milk and cream to a simmering boil and add chocolate squares
Once melted, add cocoa powder, honey/sugar, a dash of vanilla and a sprinkle of salt
Gently simmer for a few minutes until chocolate is smooth and velvety
Serve with fresh whipped cream or meringue