It’s always a good night when you can enjoy a mug of hot chocolate as you do homework on a chilly fall evening.

Though a packet of Swiss Miss with mini marshmallows is good enough for most college students, imagine the possibility of being able to fly to some of the world’s best, most luxurious hot chocolate destinations instead.

Here are a few locations where drinking hot chocolate is serious business, and your cup of Swiss Miss will likely pale in comparison:

Café Angelina: Paris, France

Rumored to be the best hot chocolate — as well as the most expensive — in the world, refined Café Angelina makes sure its hot chocolate is worth every euro. The rich, creamy drink is served in a large pitcher with your own pot of fresh whipped cream. Customers say the hot chocolate is so thick you can stand your spoon up in it, so no need to even consider ordering dessert.

Caffé Baratti & Milano: Turin, Italy

Hot chocolate is the main event at luxurious grand café Baratti & Milano, located on a quaint corner in Italy’s chocolate capital, Turin. This city’s hot chocolate typically comes very thick, velvety and agreeably bitter, and Baratti’s version is no exception. The café even sells a ready-made mix for customers to drink at home, but many say the drink mix doesn’t match the divine taste of having a cup fresh in the shop.

Café Tortoni: Buenos Aires, Argentina

With its stained glass and antique bronze fixtures, Café Tortoni (founded in 1858) claims to be the oldest café in the country. Its steaming hot chocolate is just as famous as, and much more affordable than, some of the lavish hot chocolate selections offered in Europe. Customers suggest ordering the “chocolate con tres churros,” where the café’s hot chocolate is paired with dunkable, baton-shaped fried pastries called churros.

French Broad Chocolate Lounge: Asheville, North Carolina (United States)

For a location a little closer to home, Asheville’s chic French Broad Chocolate Lounge offers a signature “hot sipping chocolate” called liquid truffle. This super-rich drink comes in unique flavors such as Indian Kulfi (with rose, pistachio and cardamom), Masala Chai, Cayenne & Cinnamon and — of course — pure dark chocolate.

If flying across the Atlantic (or even driving a few hours to Asheville) to splurge on hot chocolate doesn’t sound feasible right now, here’s a simple yet satisfying recipe for making your own hot chocolate at home: 

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

  • 3 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups cocoa
  • One tablespoon table salt
  • Whole milk for serving
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Whisk to combine well. Store the mixture in an airtight container.

Step 2: For individual servings, pour one cup whole milk into a microwave-safe mug and microwave on high until hot. Add two tablespoons of cocoa mix and stir to dissolve. For a larger batch of cocoa, warm the milk in a saucepan set over medium-low heat, taking care not to let the milk boil. As it warms, stir in two tablespoons of mix for each cup of milk.

Yield: Makes 5 ¾ cups dry mix or 92 eight-ounce servings

Source: Martha Stewart Kids, Holiday