What hot chocolate means
Hot chocolate is a warm, comforting drink made from milk and chocolate or cocoa. There are several ways to make it. The richest version is made by melting chopped dark or milk chocolate into hot milk, sometimes with a little cream, and whisking until smooth and frothy. A lighter version, often called hot cocoa, is made from cocoa powder and sugar, which are mixed to a paste with a little milk to prevent lumps before the rest of the hot milk is added.
Ready-made drinking chocolate powders are also widely used. The milk is heated gently rather than boiled, so it does not catch or form a skin. Hot chocolate can be flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, chilli, salt, nutmeg, peppermint or a splash of liqueur, and it is often topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, grated chocolate or a dusting of cocoa. Chocolate was originally drunk as a bitter, spiced drink by the peoples of Central America long before it was eaten as a solid, and it became a fashionable drink in Europe in the past.
In Spain, very thick hot chocolate is served for dipping churros, and Italian cioccolata calda is so thick it is eaten with a spoon. In France, chocolat chaud is rich and intense. Hot chocolate is a popular winter drink in cafés and at home. You will see hot chocolate in drinks and dessert recipes.