Take a small mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp of cornstarch to it.

Pour ¼ cup of milk into the bowl with the cornstarch.

Use a spoon to stir the mixture well until the cornstarch dissolves. Set the bowl aside for later use.

Place a semi-sweet dark chocolate bar on a chopping board.

Using a sharp knife, chop the chocolate bar into small pieces to get about ½ cup of chopped chocolate.

Transfer the chopped chocolate to a small bowl to use later.

Place a cooking pot on the stove over medium heat.

Pour 1 cup of whole milk into the pot.

Sift 3 tbsp of cocoa powder through a sieve into the milk. Use the back of the spoon to gently press down on the cocoa powder to make sure it sifts smoothly.

Add 2 tbsp of sugar and ⅛ tsp of salt into the mixture.

Use a whisk to stir all the ingredients together until the cocoa powder is completely dissolved.

Add the dark chocolate you chopped earlier into the saucepan. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate fully melts.

Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot to thicken the chocolate mixture and stir continuously until it’s smooth and reaches your desired consistency.

Once the hot chocolate is thick and creamy, remove the pot from the heat and pour it into a mug.

Add a generous dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle chocolate shavings over the cream as garnish.

Serve immediately and enjoy a delicious Italian hot chocolate with your favorite cookies!