Italian Pistachio Hot Chocolate Is So Good It Will Ruin Any Other Hot Chocolate You’ve Ever Tasted
Frosted windows and cold-nipped hands draw you into the kitchen to have this classic drink — hot chocolate. If you’re like me, then your childhood was filled with the powder mix and the dehydrated marshmallows (which is still great in my book), but I feel like there’s always something different out there, can’t holiday classics get an upgrade? Well, here’s your hot chocolate upgrade — Italian hot chocolate. It’s even better because it’s rich (but not sweet) white chocolate pistachio version of hot chocolate.
Don’t turn your nose up at white chocolate, which is still chocolate. My experience with white hot chocolate has been one of extreme disappointment — it tastes like a sharp sugar injection to the mouth, but white chocolate shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when paired with a great partner — pistachio. This beautiful green gem of a nut is a great companion to white chocolate’s intensity. White chocolate and pistachio are the perfect matches. You’ll be regretting that you haven’t drunk white chocolate and pistachio together sooner, the combination is just that good.
What makes Italian hot chocolate different? American hot chocolate is milkier and not so thick, but Italian chocolate is a mixture of milk, melted chocolate, and a thickener (like cornstarch or potato starch). This means that it’s richer, much richer — but in the best possible way!
There are two ways to make pistachio hot chocolate. One way has you making pistachio paste. To get that bright vibrant green color, you have to boil the pistachios for a minute or so and then rub the pistachios into a towel. This removes the dull-colored skin from the outside.
Next, add the pistachios in a blender with milk and cornstarch. Once blended, heat it in a saucepan until you start to see bubbles, and only slightly thick. Don’t overheat, or you’ll have a hot chocolate with the texture of pudding! Off the heat, add the chocolate white chocolate.
For the store-bought pistachio paste method, whisk cornstarch and a splash of milk in a saucepan until the cornstarch is dissolved, add the remaining milk, and pistachio paste, cooking until just thickened. Off the heat, you do the same thing and add the chopped white chocolate.
Fresh unsweetened whipped cream, grated nutmeg, or chopped pistachios are all great toppings to this decadent holiday-time drink.
Watch the recipe from start to finish here’s the video!