Hot Chocolate!

[Boo]

[size=1]Welcome to the amazing [b]Hot Chocolate![/b] thread!

Here we talk all about Hot Chocolate! Yay!

The reason for this thread is that hot chocolate is just amazing. Since I've bought a Starbucks mug in London, I had the strong desire to drink at least one mug of hot chocolate every day - which is actually happening since I bought a supply of hot chocolate powder a few days ago. It's just the kind of powder that you have to mix with water, but I'm making up all kinds of things to increase it's taste.

So far my favourite self-made mug of hot chocolate was made like this: You put the powder in the awesome Starbucks mug. You pour a little bit of milk in it and a bit of whipped cream. Add cinnamon and rum. Stur the mix until the lumps are out. Now add hot water. Tadah! Awesome hot chocolate. Though, it's also awesome with maple syrup or honey.
Soon I'll teach myself how to make hot chocolate with real cacao and milk, because that's still a bit more classy than the powder with water stuff.

But well, I haven't been able to compete with the Starbucks [i]Caramel Hot Chocolate[/i] or the [i]Hazelnut Hot Chocolate[/i]. Those are divine.

So, start talking about hot chocolate! Any recipes you care to share or anything? What was your favourite? With or without whipped cream? Bad experiences with hot chocolate? Rare hot chocolate artifact findings? Anything, because it's the [b]Hot Chocolate![/b] thread![/size]

[eleanor]

[font="trebuchet ms"] After a long day of skiing/snowboarding, and having a fozen butt, hot chocolate is god. Nothing makes it taste better than a day spent out in the cold. For that reason I've never been compelled to make it at home, so I usually buy it lodges or places like Starbucks.

I've never heard of hot chocolate with whipped cream, though. Sounds yummy. :)[/font]

[SaiyanPrincessX]

[SIZE="1"]Hm, delicious.

I never used [i]just[/i] water for my [b]hot chocolate[/b], it tastes bad. I'll use milk, or I put a little water in it with the milk to decrease the calories, yay. Anyhoo, I like putting cinnomin in it aswell, or coffee, wich then turns it into more of a Mocha, mmm.[/SIZE]

[Persona]

[INDENT][COLOR="SandyBrown"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][I]Crap...you made me want to make one. That's a trip to my job (Since I haven't brought the supplies at the groceries yet.).[/I]


Well ever since I was little, hot chocolate was my favorite warming tingly drink. Just recenlty though, I discovered that my job has this great tasting hot chocolate. Powder and water....but what a glorious taste it is! Of course, I do prefer milk than water. Overall, I finish it off with the whip cream, chocolate drizzle and chocolate shavings!


I call it the, 'Triple Chocolate Madness'. Oh yea baby....I'm so original.[/FONT][/COLOR][/INDENT]

[Skye]

Now I want some. Damn you.

Mine includes:
Milk
Choc. Syrup

Heat in microwave in giant mug; use as little or as much syrup as you like. When done, remove and add:

Whipped cream
Nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon

Mucho yum. Really good with chocolate biscotti and poki.

[Lethargy]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkGreen][B]French vanilla[/B] and [B]hazelnut[/B] [U]Coffee Mate[/U] coffee creamers are the best to put in hot chocolate. Another thing that is quite delicious is the ol' [B]candy cane[/B] or [B]Andes Mints[/B] in the hot chocolate.

[B]Starbucks[/B] hot chocolate, however, is pretty much the best ever. Although, I did have this [B]raspberry[/B] hot chocolate a couple times and that was pretty amazing, too.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Persona]

[COLOR="SandyBrown"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Goodness, what starbucks does everyone go to? I need to kno because the one here sucks badly. I triend their hot chocolate and to surpise it's not all good. Maybe it's the employees (But than agian its powder mix machine). I need to go to another one...so far I've been to three and no good luck with the hot chocolate.


I also told my friend to bring me some hot chocolate on her way back from work...because this thread advertised it so well (lol).[/FONT][/COLOR]

[AzureWolf]

[COLOR=maroon]Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity's. $8.50 for my wallet; priceless for my soul.[/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Hot chocolate aye? Well, I know that it tastes better made with milk than water... or I think I remember that >_< I dn't really do chocolate, but Hot Chocolate is alright. I don't get why the marshmellows are there sice they have little taste and just make your hotchocomilk crunchy, lol.[/COLOR]

[Doublehex]

I haven't had hot chocolate since I was a little kid, but I remember whenever I would have it, I [B]demanded[/B] marshmallows with it.

Not requested, mind you. It was a must, a necessity. I would accept nothing less than hot chocolate with marshmallows rising to the surface. Delicious.

[Andy]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]Hot chocolate is awesome. Seriously, I think it's so awesome that every time I make myself some I end up burning my tongue. And this isn't like your usual tongue burn either, this is like, you can barely eat or drink anything for 2 days tongue burn. Yeah, [B]ouch[/B]. And as for how I like it, marshmallow's are the way to go.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[Boo]

[quote name='Reminisce'][COLOR="SandyBrown"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Goodness, what starbucks does everyone go to? [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][size=1]The best Caramel Hot Chocolate I've had so far was from London, Westminister (West End), right before I went to see Avenue Q in the Noël Coward theatre. The Starbucks in the same lane as the theatre: St Martin's Lane. You walk in to find a cosy, not-so-busy Starbucks. You walk to the counter and order the largest Caramel Hot Chocolate they have (tall or grande isn't enough - hot chocolate's taste increases with the size of the mug, true facts) with whipped cream (and a muffin, 'f course). You pay the person behind the counter a ridiculous sum of money, probably, but after that you can get your Caramel Hot Chocolate and it's by far the best hot chocolate you have ever had.
Besides, London is perfect for hot chocolate as it's always wet and rainy.

Hm, can somebody explain me what's up with the marshmallow thing? Never tried it out yet. What does a marshmallow do to alter your divine experience? :([/size]

[Skye]

[quote name='Boo'][size=1]Hm, can somebody explain me what's up with the marshmallow thing? Never tried it out yet. What does a marshmallow do to alter your divine experience? :([/size][/QUOTE]

It's actually kind of interesting. First, there are these tiny non-squishy marshmallows that come in instant-cocoa mix; I like them. Then there are mini-marshies (as I like to call them) that fit rather well in any mug, over the top of cocoa. They melt and make a kind of whipped-topping kind of thing when they melt. Then there are jumbo marshies that only melt on the outside, so you can dip them in the cocoa, suck of the outside, and dip again. At least, that's how I do it. ^_^

[Persona]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="SandyBrown"]That's how it sums up (What steph said) and marshmellows are a good substitute for whip cream (If it's home made...not everyone carries whip cream in the household.). There's also the the gooey feeling and semi-sweet taste that I love so much. Overall, I prefer the small ones...it's just a decent amount and they melt quicker.


On the side note, I'll mark London for a place to visit not only for the hot chocolate (Though it will be one of my goals), but for the sites and such. The flavors also sound yummy and soothing.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[banzaiinu1]

I usually don't drink hot chocolate unless its from starbucks or something. Cuz at the haunted house I work at, every year when I end up getting hot chocolate cuz I'm freezing my butt off, theres always dead flies in it! D: icky icky...

but, I always put marshmellows in it when I have it! :3

[AzureWolf]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]I don't get why the marshmellows are there sice they have little taste and just make your hotchocomilk crunchy, lol.[/COLOR][/QUOTE][COLOR=maroon]I could give you the obvious racist reason for it, but I'll keep my mouth shut about the oppressive white man.[/COLOR]

[Adam]

I'm a big fan of hot chocolate, whipped cream required. I agree with AzureWolf that Serendipity's frozen hot chocolate is priceless...reminds me, haven't been in a while

One thing I want to contribute to this thread is the subject of thickness. I went to a gourmet South American hot chocolate place once and the drink was so thick that it was unbearable. I had to throw it away. I believe it was because they just melted a bar of chocolate into a cup...

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Hot chocolate is okay I guess. But most of them are too rich for my tastes. It's like drinking candy. XP And adding milk? *blech* I've never liked milk. When I want something nice and hot I tend to drink hot spicy apple cider. Now that is good stuff! [/FONT][/COLOR]

[Persona]

[quote name='Adam']
One thing I want to contribute to this thread is the subject of thickness. I went to a gourmet South American hot chocolate place once and the drink was so thick that it was unbearable. I had to throw it away. I believe it was because they just melted a bar of chocolate into a cup...[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="SandyBrown"]I know the feeling, but the only difference was the maker. About a year ago, my mother's husband tried to make hot chocolate. Using a spanish type of chocolate bar, milk and goodness knows what else. When he did it and poured it with milk...it was thick and tasteless. I tasted more the milk than the bar...worse hot chocolate experiance.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Aaryanna'][COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]When I want something nice and hot I tend to drink hot spicy apple cider. Now that is good stuff! [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]Oh I agree, lol I love different types of hot apple cider. Given a choice I'll take that over hot chocolate any day. But then I don't really care for chocolate. I do occasionally have hot chocolate, but not very often. Though when I do, it's a given that it has to have marshmellows in it.

[Boo]

[size=1]Rachmaninoff and Aaryanna are banned from the thread. Until proven otherwise, we can hereby conclude that lounge moderators have no taste when it comes to divine drinks.

I just tried marshmallows in my Hot Chocolate and it didn't really add to the flavour or to the whole experience. It was more of a nuisance, though fun for once. Whipped cream is really the way to go. [/size]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="DarkRed"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Boo'][size=1]Rachmaninoff and Aaryanna are banned from the thread. Until proven otherwise, we can hereby conclude that lounge moderators have no taste when it comes to divine drinks. [/size][/QUOTE]Pfft! Taste is subjective and though I like Hot Chocolate, Hot Apple Cider is fantastic as well. In other words, I like both.

Hot Chocolate though is a toss up for me. I'm allergic to milk so the really rich and creamy ones I don't care for. But some of the more lighter varieties are quite good and I almost always have a mug of hot chocolate when it's cold. In the winter I have it every single day.

Besides, if Hot Chocolate drinkers can't appreciate the divine taste of Hot Apple Cider... they need to be banned as well. Both drinks are divine. :p[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Skye]

[quote name='Reminisce'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="SandyBrown"]I know the feeling, but the only difference was the maker. About a year ago, my mother's husband tried to make hot chocolate. Using a spanish type of chocolate bar, milk and goodness knows what else. When he did it and poured it with milk...it was thick and tasteless. I tasted more the milk than the bar...worse hot chocolate experiance.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

I agree. That stuff is pretty much - pardon me - crap when liquid. It is waaay better than regular chocolate when eaten plain, though. I almost can't eat regular chocolate now because it's so good. Abuelita chocolate, right? It has all the spices in it - cinnamon, nutmeg, ect. - and tastes soooo good. *drools*

Hot cider is good, too, especially when I'm sick and can't stand to smell milk or butter. Yeah, I know, toast is supposed to be good for you when you can't stomach much, but the smell makes me feel... *shudders*

Whoo. Tangent.

But I like both. Hey! Has anyone ever tried "wassail"? As my family makes it:

Big pan on stove. Mix 1/3 large bottle apple juice, 1/3 carton of OJ, 1/3 cranberry juice, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg. ZOMG. Like, the best.

[Boo]

[quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="DarkRed"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Besides, if Hot Chocolate drinkers can't appreciate the divine taste of Hot Apple Cider... they need to be banned as well. Both drinks are divine. :p[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][size=1]I might be able to appreciate the drink, but I can not appreciate "hot chocolate is so-so, but apple cider rules!"-comments in my hot chocolate thread. :p[/size]

[Whiteblaze]

[FONT="Arial"]A thread after my own heart.

I like hot chocolate. Love it too. However I haven't really had some that has really blown me away to where I will only have that kind. This might be because I get the kind you find on the grocery store shelf. Also, I don't recall ever setting foot in a Starbucks come to think of it. For any reason. From what you guys are saying I may have to try the place out.

I have hot chocolate in season, when it's cold, off season when it's hot (and I don't mean warm, but sweltering hot every day) and in between seasons. I would buy it in bulk so that I save myself the trip to the store, but what I really need is some good hot chocolate so I'm not always trying to figure out which I like more. Does anyone have a suggestion? Is there something the equivalent of store-bought (Starbucks etc.) hot chocolate that I could find some place?

Marshmallows I do not like in my hot chocolate; whip cream I've never tried, but still these two just seem to be sugar adding ingredients/sweetener/about the same as adding more sugar. What I want is some good chocolate flavor that is sweet. Most that I've had is decent at best.[/FONT]