Luxurious Italian Hot Chocolate with Kirsch and Hazelnuts

This Luxurious Italian Hot Chocolate with Kirsch and Hazelnuts is thick, creamy and the best chocolate fix ever!

This post was sponsored by Hotel Chocolat’s Tasting Club.

Have you ever tried thick Italian hot chocolate? It’s almost custard-like in texture, but like, 5 million times better than custard (and I love custard).

Made with an embarrassing amount of chocolate, it’s just the thing for a weekend treat.

I’ve made it a few times before. Regular chocolate flavour is perfectly delish, but I like to add in a little extra flavour. Sometimes orange, sometimes peppermint……..

………..this time kirsch and hazelnut

Inspired by one of the chocolates in the Hotel Chocolat subscription box I received recently (Cherry Hazelnut Daiquiri flavour), I went with the addition of kirsch in the hot chocolate plus kirsch-soaked cherries and chopped hazelnuts on top.

Figuring out a chocolate themed recipe to go with a box of chocolates might have been my favourite task of the week!

A great idea as an Xmas gift for chocolate lovers, the Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club Subscription box has some brilliant flavour combinations. Banoffee pie, Peach & Jasmine and Raspberry Pannacotta to name but a few.

I’d also like to tell you how much I enjoyed the little chocolate gemstones that came free with the box. But unfortunately Gracey scoffed them.
In fairness to her, I’d left them open in the kitchen, and she was doing the washing up for me at the time, and she is a chocoholic like me. But even so!!

I’ll remember to hide my chocolate next time!

Fortunately the rest of the box of chocolates, along with this Italian hot chocolate were enough to give me my sweet fix.
Serve it as a dessert, or tell yourself it’s a drink (that you need to drink with a spoon ????) either way, this one isn’t for sharing!

And if you have any chocolates left (didn’t happen in our house) you could always make some of these.

 The Luxurious Italian Hot Chocolate with Kirsch and Hazelnuts Recipe:

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Luxurious Italian Hot Chocolate with Kirsch and Hazelnuts

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

This Luxurious Italian Hot Chocolate with Kirsch and Hazelnuts is thick, creamy and the best chocolate fix ever! Gluten free too!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 cups

Author: Nicky @ Kitchensanctuary.com

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 150 g milk (semi-sweet) chocolate chips
• 4 tsp kirsch
• 480 ml milk
• 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch

To Serve:

• 4 tbsp whipped cream
• 8 kirsch cherries from a jar of cherries soaked in kirsch, threaded onto two cocktail sticks
• 2 tbsp hazelnuts roughly chopped

UK (metric) - **Convert to US Measures**

Instructions

1. Place the cocoa powder, sugar, chocolate chips, kirsch, and milk in a small saucepan. Heat over a low heat, stirring slowly until the chocolate is melted and the liquid is hot, but not boiling.
2. Mix the cornflour with four tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
3. With the hot chocolate still over the heat, slowly pour in the cornflour mixture a little at a time, whilst stirring with a whisk, until you get a thick, but pourable consistency (like custard).
4. Pour the hot chocolate into two cups and spoon on the whipped cream. Sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts and place a cocktail stick with the cherries on top. Serve immediately.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hotel Chocolat. The opinions and text are all mine.