A rich and indulgent Hot Chocolate Affogato made with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and vanilla ice cream. This version uses a thick Italian-style hot chocolate for a silky, decadent texture with a warming boozy note. It’s a perfect festive treat for a chilly evening.
When the weather turns cold and the nights are long, few things beat curling up with a luxurious hot chocolate. I love Italian hot chocolate for its thickness and intensity, and adding Frangelico (a hazelnut liqueur) plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns it into an indulgent affogato-style dessert-drink.
Like a traditional affogato, this pairs a hot beverage with cold ice cream. It may sound unusual, but the contrast of hot, silky chocolate and cold creamy ice cream works beautifully. To make it family-friendly, simply leave out the liqueur for an alcohol-free version.
See the recipe below for ingredient notes, step-by-step photos, helpful tips, variations and a short video. For the printable recipe, scroll to the bottom.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Dark chocolate – Choose at least 70% cocoa for a rich, intense chocolate flavour. Higher-quality chocolate makes a noticeable difference.
- Cocoa powder – Use unsweetened cocoa powder to deepen the chocolate taste without extra sweetness.
- Sugar – Caster sugar works well, but granulated sugar is a fine substitute.
- Cornflour (cornstarch US) – Essential for thickening the hot chocolate; don’t skip it if you want that luxurious, velvety texture.
- Milk – Whole milk gives the richest, creamiest result. Semi-skimmed will work but yields a slightly thinner drink.
- Ice cream – Use a good-quality vanilla ice cream made with real vanilla for the best flavour contrast.
Step by step photos and instructions
Add the milk, chopped dark chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar to a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves (photo 1).
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a slurry, then stir it into the hot chocolate. Continue to heat while stirring until the mixture is thick and smooth (photo 2).
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the Frangelico (or another liqueur of your choice) (photo 3).
Pour the hot chocolate into small mugs, top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve immediately (photo 4).
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Use quality ingredients – Good chocolate, cocoa and ice cream elevate the finished drink. Aim for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa to avoid excessive sweetness.
- Alternative liqueurs – If you don’t have Frangelico, Amaretto pairs well with chocolate. Baileys, Kahlúa, rum or brandy are also excellent choices.
- Ice cream timing – The hot chocolate takes about 10 minutes to prepare, so remove the ice cream from the freezer partway through to allow it to soften slightly without melting too much.
- Serving to children – Simply omit the liqueur for a child-friendly version.
Yes. Store any leftover hot chocolate in the fridge once cooled and reheat gently when needed. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes. While designed as a hot chocolate affogato, the mixture also works as a room-temperature dessert. Let the chocolate cool, pour into cups or bowls and top with ice cream.
More festive Italian recipes to try
Drinks
Italian Hot Chocolate – Thick and Decadent
Drinks
The Ultimate Chocolate Martini
Drinks
Frangelico White Russian
Italian Cookies
Italian Nutella Cookies (Nutellotti)
If you try this Hot Chocolate Affogato or another recipe on the blog, please rate it and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out. I love hearing from readers! You can also follow the blog on social media or sign up for the newsletter for more recipes.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos, helpful tips and a short video to guide you through the process.
Frangelico Hot Chocolate Affogato
By Emily
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate, (100g)
- 2 and 1/4 cups whole milk, (500ml) plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch, cornflour
- 5 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur, or liqueur of choice
- Small pinch salt
- Vanilla ice cream, good quality
Instructions
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Add the milk, chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar to a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
-
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk and add it to the hot chocolate. Continue to heat, stirring, until the mixture is thick and smooth.
-
Remove from the heat and stir in the Frangelico or your preferred liqueur.
-
Pour into small mugs, top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use good quality ingredients – Quality chocolate, cocoa and ice cream make a big difference. Aim for 70% cocoa dark chocolate for balance.
- Other liqueurs to try – Amaretto, Baileys, Kahlúa, rum or brandy all work well if you prefer a different flavour.
- Ice cream thawing – Remove the ice cream from the freezer about halfway through preparation so it’s slightly softened but still firm when served.
- Reheating – Store leftovers in the fridge once cooled and reheat gently; keep up to 3 days.
- Serve cold – The hot chocolate base also tastes lovely at room temperature as a dessert topped with ice cream.
- Serving to children – Omit the liqueur for an alcohol-free treat.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in my savoury recipes unless stated otherwise.
- When using canned tomatoes I favour Cirio or Mutti brands for consistent flavour.
- Vegetable sizes are assumed medium unless specified.
- All recipes are tested in a fan (convection) oven unless noted.
- Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be treated as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.