[SPEC ME] Cocoa powder for hot chocolate.

[Doctor McNinja]

I've started enjoying a cup of cocoa (Peruvian style with Cinnamon and chillies) before I go to bed. But, most of what you get at the supermarket seems to be chocolate flavoured sugar (I'm looking at you Galaxy, you sickly sweet, diabetes inducing excuse for a beverage!). So I've resorted to using cocoa powder intended for cooking as I have a greater control of how sweet it is. It also has the bitterness that's lacking in other products. Problem is, it doesn't dissolve properly so...


TL;DR Please [SPEC ME] a slightly bitter cocoa powder with no added sugar that will dissolve in hot water.

 

[Rich_L]

Funnily enough Amazon is actually great for this kind of stuff.

Combine this:

Montezuma's Organic Dark Drinking Chocolate 300 g
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter,
Banana

for epic nice milkshake that is surprisingly low in calories as well.

 

[cheechm]

For a super real Peruvian experience you could try Cacao husk tea

http://steepster.com/teas/tisano/15057-cacao

 

[smit101]

This is a good quality pure cacao powder, nice and bitter.

Dagoba is another brand which is good, you can buy it at Amazon UK.

 

[Stan_Lite]

I usually use the high cocoa solids (85%) chocolate to make hot chocolate.

Bung about 50g into half a pint of milk, add some sort of spice (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves etc.) heat it up until it melts and then add 50ml or so of whisky. Pure heaven.

 

[Doctor McNinja]

Funnily enough Amazon is actually great for this kind of stuff.

Combine this:

Montezuma's Organic Dark Drinking Chocolate 300 g
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter,
Banana

for epic nice milkshake that is surprisingly low in calories as well.

That does sound pretty damn good and I have been meaning to try adding a few ground, roasted peanuts to my hot cocoa as that's what they do with authentic Peruvian hot cocoa.

This is a good quality pure cacao powder, nice and bitter.

Dagoba is another brand which is good, you can buy it at Amazon UK.

Thanks, I'll give 'em a go at some point.

I usually use the high cocoa solids (85%) chocolate to make hot chocolate.

Bung about 50g into half a pint of milk, add some sort of spice (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves etc.) heat it up until it melts and then add 50ml or so of whisky. Pure heaven.

I'll give it a go but I prefer my cocoa made with water and just a splash of milk. Chocolate splits when it's heated in water though (unless you use a special technique I saw on the TV a while ago, which I can remember)... Ah, I'll eat the chocolate with a glass of milk and drink the whisky by itself. I adore whisky but I detest it when it's in a hot drink.

I've just picked up a small tub of Green & Blacks Organic just to give it a go. It's pretty good but not exactly what I was looking for in a mug of cocoa, so I guess I'll make a chocolate cake while I search for the perfect cup of cocoa... I might try and make some Peruvian brownies. Lots of chocolaty goodness, cinnamon and maybe cardamom with a nice kick of fresh chillies.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Funnily enough Amazon is actually great for this kind of stuff.

Combine this:

Montezuma's Organic Dark Drinking Chocolate 300 g
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter,
Banana

for epic nice milkshake that is surprisingly low in calories as well.

Add milk?

What are the proportions?

 

[Doctor McNinja]

Add milk?

What are the proportions?

 

[fez]

I have found that its more in the technique than anything else. Heat the milk separately and while that is heating, get a small amount of milk (1/2 inch) in the cup with the cocoa and sugar etc. Mix it well and then add the hot milk at the end. You can then really mix the cocoa, spices and small amount of milk till its a lumpless paste.

Handheld milk frothers are really good for mixing hot choccie as well.

 

[bertles86]

Droste!!

http://www.algcoffee.co.uk/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=294

 

[Flibster]

I must be weird.

I use 250g of full fat cravendale milk and 30g of this - and then stick it under the steam wand of my espresso machine - and steam until it hits 60-65°C by which time, it's gone chocolatty.

 

[Hamster]

I make 'chocolate on a stick' with quality baking chocolate and cocoa powder. Steam the milk with the espresso machine and stir the chocolate in. Very nice!!

 

[J1234]

Use proper drinking chocolate, literally grated chocolate. The Charbonnel Et Walker and Hotel Chocolat ones are good, both are around 80% cacao.