Recommend a Hot Chocolate

The Lovely Muffin · 30-01-2010 12:39AM #1

As the title says: can anyone recommend me a Hot Chocolate?

I have tried various and just cannot find one I like.

can recall the last three I tried, Cadburys, Aero and Options (sachets).

The ONLY one I absolutely love is the one I get in the coffee shop in Busaras, but as I'm rarely in Busaras and anyway, I'm looking for someone to make at home.

I've tried making them all using water and milk and sugar, milk and water, just milk etc and to no satisfaction.:(

And no, buying a machine isn't an option.:(

Thanks.

The Lovely Muffin · 30-01-2010 06:15PM

Anyone?

star-pants · 30-01-2010 06:21PM

I like Cadburys, I would only make hot chocolate with just milk, hot chocolate with water is just manky.

I don't know if you like Butlers hot chocolate? Because they sell their hot chocolate now, in like little squares of chocolate that you melt into your milk? Probably expensive though.

I'm really picky about my hot chocolate, never finish a Butlers one cuz it's just too much, Starbucks do a decent one but I don't think they sell it (to make yourself).
Never a fan of Options or Aero but found Cadburys was decent, shame you don't like it, can't say I can think of another but if I do I'll pop back in and mention it.

moonflower · 30-01-2010 07:36PM

The Butlers solid ones are nice, I throw in a spoonful of the Cadburys powder to make them go a little further, I like a big mug. Oh make sure and make them in a saucepan with milk, whisking all the time. They're not very nice in the microwave.

Another nice one is 3 teaspoons of Cadburys powder, 1 teaspoon of Cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon mixed with milk.

If you're making it from scratch try Milka or Lindt milk chocolate, they make good hot chocolate.

run_Forrest_run · 30-01-2010 08:25PM

Green & Blacks (organic) for me...not as sweet as Cadburys but not overly bitter at all...add a good quality marshmallow (not the cheapo ones) for some sweetness if required...the job.

phoebe! · 30-01-2010 08:33PM

Butlers is really good and I have recently discovered Cadbury do a new one like it, hot chocolate chunks. You really can't beat having a butlers Hot Chocolate from their cafes!

The Lovely Muffin · 31-01-2010 12:22AM

Thanks for the tip.

I'll look for the Butlers one and the Cadburys Choc Chunks next time I'm in town.

Is the Butlers one heavy? As I've tried some of their sweets in the past and found them heavy and sickly.:o

star-pants · 01-02-2010 02:49PM

I find Butlers can be a bit too heavy, as I said I can never finish one. But you could always buy one in their shop as a takeaway and see what you think before buying the chunks.

The Lovely Muffin · 06-02-2010 02:34AM

star-pants wrote: »

I find Butlers can be a bit too heavy, as I said I can never finish one. But you could always buy one in their shop as a takeaway and see what you think before buying the chunks.

Thank you.

Unfortunately there is no Butlers cafe/shop in my town.

I couldn't find the Cadburys chunks in either of the supermarkets today. So hopefully they'll have it in soon, I'm dying to try it.

Slidinginfinity · 06-02-2010 11:53AM

-Orlaith- wrote: »

Thank you.

Unfortunately there is no Butlers cafe/shop in my town.

I couldn't find the Cadburys chunks in either of the supermarkets today. So hopefully they'll have it in soon, I'm dying to try it.

If there is a SuperQuinn, they sometimes have the Butler's Hot Chocolate.

star-pants · 06-02-2010 02:04PM

I was in a Tesco yesterday and they had the Butlers chunks, so you might find them in a tesco or other store soon.

dinneenp · 06-02-2010 02:09PM

Thorntens. Very hard to get on these shores though. Personally I like Italian hot choc. It's very thick but lovely
butlers is nice too and you can buy packets with 10 or 15 nobs of choc in it for 10/15 drinks. Instructions say make with cup if cream so will be heavy and nit fir healthy hearted.

Mollywolly · 06-02-2010 05:59PM

The nicest hot chocolate I've ever had is made by the Cocoa Beans Company who are based in Kerry. Very creamy and luscious, not like the powdered stuff you normally get. Comes highly recommended by me and hubby

http://www.cocoabeanchocolates.com/hot_choc.htm

The Lovely Muffin · 07-02-2010 01:12PM

Thanks everyone.

No Superquinn here unforunately. We only have Dunnes Stores, Supervalu and Tesco. But I rarely go to Tesco as it's over one mile away from my house, and none of us drive, so it's a pretty long walk, and through some dodgy areas.

Also, I just saw this on Pixmania, would it be any good for making a Hot Chocolate at home? Like a take-away HC, but not from a take-away?

Hot Chocolate Maker

Thank you.

Eradicate · 07-02-2010 01:13PM

Options hot chocolates are nice

star-pants · 07-02-2010 01:29PM

Kinda looks like a glorified coffee pot?
Also - if you don't like the taste of certain hot chocolates then the 'maker' won't make a difference to them. Most places that make hot chocolate use the steamer to heat/froth the milk so I dunno if this thing would work the same.

I'd keep an eye in your dunnes and supervalu incase they get the other hot chocs suggested. Or if anyone is taking a trip to Tesco to get some for you

phoebe! · 07-02-2010 01:41PM

you might get Butlers in Supervalu, some of them stock them. I got the Cadbury chunks in Tesco but took me a while to find them, I think they are only newish here! The hot Chocolate maker looks ok but you still have to get a nice hot choc so it doesn't seem to solve your problem! It might be worth asking in your local supermarket, they might order it in for you!

-Orlaith- wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

No Superquinn here unforunately. We only have Dunnes Stores, Supervalu and Tesco. But I rarely go to Tesco as it's over one mile away from my house, and none of us drive, so it's a pretty long walk, and through some dodgy areas.

Also, I just saw this on Pixmania, would it be any good for making a Hot Chocolate at home? Like a take-away HC, but not from a take-away?

Hot Chocolate Maker

Thank you.

The Lovely Muffin · 07-02-2010 02:09PM

star-pants wrote: »

Kinda looks like a glorified coffee pot?
Also - if you don't like the taste of certain hot chocolates then the 'maker' won't make a difference to them. Most places that make hot chocolate use the steamer to heat/froth the milk so I dunno if this thing would work the same.

I'd keep an eye in your dunnes and supervalu incase they get the other hot chocs suggested. Or if anyone is taking a trip to Tesco to get some for you

That's just it, in the coffee shop in Busaras, they use the Cadburys Hot Choc in the purple tub and it is delicious from there. I absolutely love it, it is my fave HC.

But when I make the Cadbury's one at home, it is horrible.

So I'm thinking maybe the HC Maker might make a difference?

star-pants · 07-02-2010 02:46PM

Well you're heating the milk a different way technically, the frother pushes hot steam into the milk, frothing it up, which won't happen if you just pop your milk in the microwave.
Also I know I heat the milk and then ad in the powder.
Most cafes put the chocolate in the base of the cup, some add a drop of milk to make a paste and then heat the milk and just pour it in on top, obviously it mixes as the milk goes in if the chocolates already a paste.

that's just assumption btw, I've never worked a barista

moonflower · 08-02-2010 12:13AM

star-pants wrote: »

Well you're heating the milk a different way technically, the frother pushes hot steam into the milk, frothing it up, which won't happen if you just pop your milk in the microwave.
Also I know I heat the milk and then ad in the powder.
Most cafes put the chocolate in the base of the cup, some add a drop of milk to make a paste and then heat the milk and just pour it in on top, obviously it mixes as the milk goes in if the chocolates already a paste.

that's just assumption btw, I've never worked a barista

Its much nicer if you mix it into a paste first. I have no idea why because it doesn't really make sense but it's just nicer.

I mix it into a paste, pop it into the microwave for 20 seconds, add in the rest of the cold milk, stir and zap it for another minute and a half.

Fajitas! · 08-02-2010 10:07AM

We had one of those hot chocolate makers before, except it had an element in it, to warm the milk up. It was grand, because you can drop in any type of chocolate you want, dark chocolate, white chocolate, etc. You're going to have to make sure it's well clean after every run though. It cost about the same as the one you posted too.

If I'm using a milk steamer on a coffee machine, I use half Aero, half Cadbury's - But if I'm making it at home and have a bit of time, try this...

2 squares of a Cadbury Chocolate bar per person
2/3's of cup milk per person
1/3 cup cream
2 Teaspoon of cocoa per person

And if it's a nasty winter night, drop in some Whiskey.

Put it into a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Pour, shake up some cream, and float it on the top. Unfortunately, you'll be asked to make it again. And again. :-/

tscul32 · 12-02-2010 10:25AM

My husband makes the Ben and Jerrys chocolate fudge sauce (the one swirled into some of the icecreams), recipe from a B&J book. This is fab for hot choc, just spoon a glob into a saucepan, add the milk, top with marshmallows when done and watch the kiddies jump up and down with excitement.

Recommend a Hot Chocolate

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