Best French Hot Chocolate Recipes

FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat milk, cream, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar and if desired, espresso powder over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan. Remove from heat; whisk in dark chocolate until melted. Serve in mugs with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

STUFFED MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST WITH CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE-MAPLE GANACHE

Steps:

• For the ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, then pour it over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and whisk until smooth. Transfer 1/2 cup of the ganache to a small bowl, and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until slightly chilled but still spreadable. Cover the remaining ganache and reserve in a warm place.
• For the whipped cream: Combine the cream, sugar and cinnamon in a chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip until soft peaks form. Cover the bowl and refrigerate while you make the French toast.
• For the French toast: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set a baking rack over a baking sheet.
• Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the milk, cream and vanilla and almond extracts until combined. Transfer the custard mixture to a baking dish.
• Divide the chilled ganache among four slices of the bread and top with the remaining four slices to make four sandwiches. Soak the sandwiches in the custard, two at a time, flipping once, until completely soaked through, about 1 minute per side.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat until beginning to shimmer. Place two of the soaked sandwiches in the pan and cook until browned and crisp on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the sandwiches to the baking rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and oil and the remaining two sandwiches.
• If the reserved ganache is cool, microwave it for 10 seconds to warm a bit. To serve, quarter the French toasts, drizzle with some of the ganache, and dollop on some of the whipped cream.

HOT CHOCOLATE BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Butter a 13x9" baking dish. Arrange bread slices in overlapping rows in dish.
• Cook cream, milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. Transfer 1 cup chocolate mixture to an airtight container; let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill until ready to serve. Reserve remaining chocolate mixture.
• Whisk eggs, milk, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in hot chocolate mixture in a slow, steady stream. Pour evenly over and between each layer of bread. Push down with your hands to soak top of bread. Cover dish tightly with foil and chill at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake foil-covered bread until warmed through and a knife inserted into the center feels warm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until bread is browned, 35-40 minutes longer. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast hazelnuts in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden-brown and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Microwave 1 cup reserved chocolate mixture in a microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals (or heat in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water), stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
• Serve French toast with hot chocolate sauce and toasted hazelnuts.
• Do Ahead
• French toast can be assembled 1 day ahead before baking; cover tightly with foil and chill.

FRENCH-STYLE HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Heat all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking, until chocolate has melted and mixture is hot. Stir in more sugar, if desired.

FRENCH STYLE HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in 1 cup of milk, over low heat, stirring constantly.
• Gradually add remaining milk and half and half, followed by remaining ingredients, except vanilla and almond extract.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until completely heated.
• Stir in vanilla and almond extract.
• Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.

FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Combine water and chocolate.
• Cook until chocolate is melted.
• Add sugar and cook until thick.
• Cool.
• Fold whipping cream into chocolate mixture.
• To serve put 2 heaping tablespoons in a cup and add hot milk.

FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE (CHOCOLAT CHAUD)

Steps:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together the milk, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the chopped chocolate and the cocoa and bring to a boil again, whisking until the chocolate and cocoa are dissolved and the mixture has thickened. Reduce the heat to very low. Blend for 5 minutes with an immersion mixer or whirl the hot chocolate in a standard blender for half a minute, until thick and foamy.

RICH FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, bring milk to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add bittersweet and semisweet chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together cocoa and sugar; whisk into chocolate mixture along with vanilla. Whisk 30 seconds or until chocolate is slightly frothy.

FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Combine the chocolates and milk in a large saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and cook the mixture at a slow simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk thoroughly. Strain through a fine sieve. Ladle into 4 mugs and serve immediately.