The Secret To Irresistible French Hot Chocolate? Butter

There is nothing in the world quite like a cup of French hot chocolate. Otherwise known as chocolat chaud, French hot chocolate is thick and decadent. It's not your typical American hot chocolate, which — more often than not — comes from an envelope of powder that is mixed with water. Rather, French hot chocolate uses whole milk and often incorporates high-quality chocolate, creating a smoother, richer drink. This, paired with a dollop of whipped cream and perhaps a homemade croissant, makes for an indulgent and delicious treat that is quintessentially Parisian. But do you know the secret ingredient that brings this delicious chocolate treat to a whole new level?

Well, you might have guessed it, but it turns out that butter is the key to absolutely irresistible French hot chocolate. At first glance, this may seem like an odd ingredient to add to hot chocolate. However, butter's ability to richen up dishes — including soups, sauces, and coffee — is well known, and adding butter to hot chocolate will do precisely the same. Not only will butter help add richness to your chocolate drink, but it will also enhance the flavor, giving it a depth that goes beyond simple sweetness.

Beyond butter, making hot chocolate in the French fashion starts with assembling the essential ingredients. Though the exact recipe for French hot chocolate varies, there are a few key elements that most variations include. For one, you will want to use whole milk as your base. Whole milk will give your hot chocolate more creaminess, as it has a higher fat content than, say, skim milk. You will also want to use cocoa powder and a bar of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of about 70%. 

As for the butter, add it before your milk and let it melt in the pot. If you want to add even more complexity, you can also brown your butter in your pot beforehand. This will give your hot chocolate a nuttier flavor. Alternatively, you can add your butter in at the end, as you would with soup, and let it emulsify into your hot chocolate. Either way, the added butter will take your hot chocolate to a new (and even creamier) level.

Of course, you don't have to stop at butter when adding extra flavors to your beverage. In fact, vanilla and cinnamon are also commonly added to French hot chocolate. To fully allow these flavors to meld into your drink, add them to your milk before boiling. You'll want to use cinnamon sticks over cinnamon powder, as the sticks will suffuse the cinnamon flavor more easily than powdered varieties. These additions can help kick your cup of hot chocolate up a notch, since cinnamon adds an element of spice while vanilla mellows out the bitterness of the dark chocolate.

Your cup of French hot chocolate won't feel complete without ultra-rich whipped cream. However, you won't want to use a canned whipped cream. Instead, try whipping up cream at home. Scooping a dollop of fresh whipped cream into a cup of hot chocolate will add even more richness to your cup. You can even infuse your homemade whipped cream with add-ins. Coffee, spices, or orange zest can bring extra flavors that turn a standard hot chocolate into something even more special.

If you want something to snack on as you sip, you can't go wrong with a buttery croissant or pain au chocolat. You can dip them into your hot chocolate, using your drink as a decadent chocolate sauce. Even if Paris only exists in your cup, this hot chocolate might almost make you feel like you're dining in France.