flipViennese hot chocolate
Viennese hot chocolate
Why this dish? Morning hot chocolate was a fashion from Austria that the queen particularly cherished: the court even had an officer called 'chocolatier de la Reine'. It is one of the rare gourmet pleasures she took soberly, in private, far from the pomp of the grands couverts.
A thick, frothy chocolate, beaten with a molinillo, scented with a hint of vanilla — the wake-up drink of European nobles in the 18th century.
You will find me, at the petit lever, a steaming cup in my hands: it is my chocolate, as in Vienna at Maman's. My officer beats it long with the molinillo until a fine foam crowns the cup — without that, no chocolate worthy of the name. I like it lightly sweetened and touched with a bit of vanilla; they say the court is fond of rich sauces, but I prefer this sweetness of my Austrian childhood. Take a hot sip, and you will understand why I return to it every morning.
- •Tablette de chocolat de santé — a piece (base)
- •Lait ou eau — a cup (liquide)
- •Sucre — to taste, moderately (douceur)
- •Gousse de vanille — a sliver (parfum)
- •Cannelle — a pinch (épice)
Viennese hot chocolate
A thick, frothy chocolate, beaten with a molinillo, scented with a hint of vanilla — the wake-up drink of European nobles in the 18th century.
Why this dish? Morning hot chocolate was a fashion from Austria that the queen particularly cherished: the court even had an officer called 'chocolatier de la Reine'. It is one of the rare gourmet pleasures she took soberly, in private, far from the pomp of the grands couverts.
You will find me, at the petit lever, a steaming cup in my hands: it is my chocolate, as in Vienna at Maman's. My officer beats it long with the molinillo until a fine foam crowns the cup — without that, no chocolate worthy of the name. I like it lightly sweetened and touched with a bit of vanilla; they say the court is fond of rich sauces, but I prefer this sweetness of my Austrian childhood. Take a hot sip, and you will understand why I return to it every morning.
Ingredients (period version)
- Tablette de chocolat de santé — a piece (base)
- Lait ou eau — a cup (liquide)
- Sucre — to taste, moderately (douceur)
- Gousse de vanille — a sliver (parfum)
- Cannelle — a pinch (épice)
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate 70% — 60 g (base)
- Whole milk — 250 ml (liquide)
- Sugar — 1 teaspoon (douceur)
- Vanilla — 1 dash (or ½ pod) (parfum)
- Cinnamon — 1 pinch (épice)
Method
- Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a saucepan with a splash of milk.
- Melt over low heat, stirring, then pour in the rest of the hot milk.
- Add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; heat without boiling.
- Whisk vigorously (or use a molinillo) until thick foam forms.
- Pour steaming into a preheated cup and serve immediately.
How it was made : In the 18th century, chocolate was sold in 'health' tablets already sweetened and spiced. It was melted in a chocolate pot fitted with a moussoir (molinillo) rolled between the palms to froth. Sugar from the West Indies and vanilla were New World products fully available by this time.
The contemporary twist : Serve it in a Sèvres-style cup with a pastry balanced on the rim — a nod to the queen's Austrian taste.
Marie-Antoinette · Charactorium
