Jocelyn_P

I brought home some cocoa from Laduree. I tried some hot chocolate this morning with just the cocoa, some sugar, and milk. It wasn't anything close to what I had in Paris, so what's the secret? I'm assuming there's cream involved.

ira

Hi J,

First - you made hot cocoa, not hot chocolate.

MermaidSea

What you had at Laduree started not with cocoa but bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped. That's why what you made at home didn't produce the same results. A while back, Bon Appetit cooking magazine published a recipe for "Laduree Iced Hot Chocolate" which you could find on www.epicurious.com. You could probably adapt that to approximate what you drank at the wonderful Laduree in Paris.

marcy_

Jocelyn,
I did the same thing, and you're right-- it's nothing like what we had in Paris.

Then we saw Emeril's show, and he was making hot chocolate, so we tried making it, and VOILA! The real thing!

You have to use real chocolate bars, and melt them, adding milk (half & half makes it unbelievably decadent and wonderful).

Depending on the chcolate you use, you add a little sugar, and I like it with some vanilla and a little cinnamon.

I'm still perfecting my recipe, so I can't tell you exact amounts, but I going to keep doing taste tests until I get it exactly right!
(It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it)

I think the key is to use really good chocolate. Our son brought some back from Amsterdam, and that was the best, but Trader Joe's has some pretty good chocolate, too.

Good luck, and happy tasting!

ira

Ghiardelli makes a blend of ground chocolate and cocoa.

Not as thick as hot chocolate, but very good.

LoriNY

I picked up a tin of chocolate shavings for hot chocolate at Harry & David. Made a decent cup, but not a great as those in Paris.

orval

Try using Cote d'Or chocolate, I believe that you should use at least the 56% chocolate bars (at a minimum), which would give you some sweetness without added sugar.It is available on line at various places. I order the mignonnettes noir de noir. Fantastic.

sandypaws3

Orval,
Côte d'Or chocolates are available from chocosphere. I've ordered chocolates from them a couple of times:

http://www.chocosphere.com/

Sandy

starspinners

I 've had Laduree's macaroons in several yummy incarnations but haven't tried their hot chocolate. ( Yet!)
But I have pigged out on Angelina's Chocolat Africaine and have tried to perfect a similar concoction at home.
The following recipe comes close to my hot chocolate experiences in Paris...well, minus the atmosphere, the French waiters, the Tuileries
across the street, the, the... the list could go on forever.
Maybe you can use this as a springboard for your Laduree hot chocolate fix:

1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped ( I've used various brands of high quality chocolate bars)

Underhill

try the chantico at starbuck's--actually quite good, if not as good as those at paul's and angelina's.

Jocelyn_P

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I guess I have a new project on my hands!

Eloise

First off, I have to admit that Ihave had neither Laduree's nor Angelina's hot chocolate. (I'm one of those very strange people who do not enjoy Paris.) I suspect that they are very similar to the hot chocolate served at Rivoire on the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

For those who are prepared to try Angelina's hot chocolate recipe, here it is as I copied it some time ago from a Web site:

Fodor's editors: Please note that a few details have been changed so that no copyright is infringed.

The Angelina Cafe in Paris, open since 1903, serves a thick hot chocolate version in demitasse cups with a tiny dollop of whipped cream. They are famous for making hot chocolate from melted chocolate bars. It is incredibly easy to prepare by mixing chocolate shavings with hot water.

6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup water, room temperature
3 tablespoons hot water
3 cups hot milk, divided
Sugar to taste
Whipped cream, if desired

In a double boiler over low heat, combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water until melted, stirring occasionally; stir until smooth.

Remove top of double boiler pan from heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among individual 4 mugs. Either stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug or serve milk in a separate pitcher. Pass sugar and whipped cream in separate bowls; add to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

jeri

Williams Sonoma has cans of shaved bittersweet chocolate to put in hot milk. Directions call for 5 tablespoons per cup. The spoon almost "stands up"! The cost is about $17 for 14.5 ounces. Also comes in mint flavored chocolat also. It may just be available around the holidays. But it's great!!