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63 About this deal
Play around with toppings and flavours. Adding ginger or mint syrup will make your hot chocolate feel festive, as will garnishing with marshmallows, whipped cream or extra chocolate shavings on top. You can also sprinkle chocolate powder – or spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon – on top for a warming edge. Nothing beats cosying up under a blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate when the weather outside is freezing. This 70% cocoa Fairtrade hot chocolate made a great first impression on our tasters with its punchy chocolatey smell. This also came through in the taste, though almost half of them found the chocolate flavour too strong and not sweet enough. We ran two hot-chocolate tests: one on hot chocolates made of solid chocolate flakes, such as Hotel Chocolat, Charbonnel & Walker and Cupsmith; and another of premium hot-chocolate powders, including brands such as Twinings and Lindt, as well as supermarket rivals.
Luxurious, rich and smooth, Clipper's hot chocolates are truly delectable. Not only that, they’ve got a conscience too – Clipper's hot chocolates are made with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar. Is there anything better when the weather’s chilly than a mug of delicious hot chocolate? It warms you up right away and feels like such a treat, especially after a long day out in the cold. Buying a tub of hot chocolate powder means you can indulge in this delightful drink whenever you feel like it, and saves you from spending your hard-earned cash on an overpriced cup from a coffee shop. Of all the solid hot chocolates we tested, this one contains the least calories, fat and sugar, so it's a good option if you're wanting to curb the Christmas excess.Although the punchy chocolate hit makes for an appetising aroma, some found the chocolate flavour too strong, so it's best suited to those who prefer a richer, darker hot chocolate. Nearly half the panel also thought it could do with being creamier. Tasters were less impressed with the other hot-chocolate powders we tested. Asda's version is the cheapest, but also came last overall. Our rich and luxurious instant hot chocolate is easy to prepare by simply adding hot water. It’s perfect for cosying up with on a cold day and ready in next to no time.
Ahhh hot chocolate. The mere mention of this deliciously indulgent drink is relaxing. It makes us think of beautiful winter walks and warm, cosy fires. But what we’re interested in is the perfect hot chocolate. Nothing short of perfection will do. This unique mix by NOMU is sugar-free, low-GI, and suitable for those on a keto diet, as it only contains20 calories per serving. It’s also super concentrated - only one spoonful of powder is needed to make yourself a tasty drink!
Coffee
If you can’t get enough of a Chocolate Orange, this one is for you! Carve 2 or 3 strips of orange rind (the skin) and let them steep in your drink for a while before drinking. That citrus flavour is a delight. Cupsmith's hot chocolate was the lowest scorer in our taste test. Despite having one of the highest cocoa solid percentages (70%) of the solid products in our test, eight in 10 of our tasters found the chocolate flavour too weak. There were other issues, too – as well as an underwhelming appearance and aroma, the majority of the panel found this drink wasn't sweet or creamy enough for their taste. Although it didn't quite hit the heights of M&S, our tasters found plenty to like, with most rating the sweetness and creaminess as just right. However, it contains the highest amount of sugar (77g per 100g), so you might want to go easy on the marshmallows.
Our panel found huge differences between the best and worst, and M&S impressed us by beating the fancy chocolate brands to the top spot with it's more affordable yet delicious offering. Best Buy and Great Value: M&S Belgian Chocolate Flakes - 75% Natural, fair and delicious: each divine hit of Clipper Fairtrade Hot Chocolate comes in a compact space saving 28g sachet, perfect for popping on your hotel, guesthouse, B&B or self-catering property welcome tray. Bear in mind that powdered hot chocolates tend to contain more sugar, because sugar rather than cocoa is often the main ingredient. Heat, but don't boil, your milk. Even if you're using hot water to melt the chocolate nibs or dissolve your chocolate powder, topping up with fridge-cold milk isn't a great idea if you want a creamy texture. Just keep a close eye on your stove or microwave as you don't want it to boil over. Sloane's offering is certified vegan and gluten-free, so it could be a good choice if you don't want guests with dietary requirements to miss out on the fun.
Disposables
The products were tested in September 2022 by a large panel of consumers who regularly buy and consume hot chocolate. The make-up of the panel broadly represents the demographic profile of adults in the UK.
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