Good Bad Hot Cocoa

Published on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, by James Norton / Edit Post

Nestlé Chocolate Caramel and Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mixes

Nestlé Chocolate Caramel and Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mixes

I Paid: $1.99 for eight 0.91-ounce envelopes (prices may vary by region)

Taste: 4 stars

Marketing: 3 stars

Thanks to an explosion in the specialty chocolate market, the number of hot chocolate options is growing by the day. They start at that big ol’ family-sized canister of store-brand cocoa powder and range all the way to the handcrafted cups of $5 luxury hot chocolate like they sell at L.A. Burdick in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Walpole, New Hampshire. (Your home region may have something similar: a high-end “drinking chocolate” with an unctuous mouthfeel, a strong, soulful kick of real chocolate, and about 21,000 calories.)

Typically, though, when you make hot chocolate at home or in the office, you’re going to go for an inexpensive, instant variety to which you just add hot water. Along those lines, we sampled two of Nestlé’s three new hot cocoa varieties to see where they clocked in on the big spectrum of hot cocoa excellence. It’s hard to expect much from anything packaged in individual paper envelopes by an international conglomerate (and in which corn syrup solids play a starring role), but if there’s anything we’ve learned after a few years of sampling the wares of megamarts, it’s that lowbrow treats don’t all suck.

Lo and behold, against the bland, sweetened, brown-water-style cocoa presented by the likes of Swiss Miss, the new Nestlé flavors stand up quite well. The Chocolate Caramel variety has a silkier mouthfeel than your typical low-end cocoa, and is a solid step ahead of expectations. The caramel element is faint but present, appearing around the edges and in the aftertaste; flavor-wise this is one of the better mass-produced cocoas on the market.

The Dark Chocolate is not quite as tasty, at least off the bat. It does have a nice dark brown color and a slightly bitter, cocoa-y flavor, but it tastes undersweetened and a bit watery. There’s a simple solution, however: add mini marshmallows (not included). Mini marshmallows make your typical hot cocoa mix taste overly sweet, but they balance the Nestlé Dark Chocolate cocoa and give it a little more creamy body.

You’ve gotta hand it to Nestlé: While not masterful in any absolute sense, the company’s new flavored hot chocolates chase the chill away on a cold day with a modest amount of uniqueness.

James Norton edits the Upper Midwestern food journal Heavy Table. He's also the coauthor of a book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers. For his Supertaster column, he samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. You can follow him on Twitter and fan him on Facebook. His wife, Becca Dilley, takes the photographs for Supertaster. She specializes in weddings and food photography, and is the coauthor of and photographer for the book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers.

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POST A COMMENT |21 Comments

COMMENT

  • If I am just preparing an instant type of hot chocolate, I amp it up a notch by adding a square from a high-quality very dark chocolate bar (it melts easily), and then add a good dash of cinnamon. It quickly does wonders for mediocre boxed varieties.

  • I second Ovaltine, guilty comfort food. What exactly is malt, anyway?

  • Sayumsme, Here is a link to a really delicious Mexican drinking chocolate with ancho and chipotle chiles.
    http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/aztec_elixir_couture_cocoa/drinking_chocolates

  • We have a box of the other Nestle's flavor - Rich Milk Chocolate - in our pantry right now. I almost dropped the laptop when I saw this article, because oddly I had the exact same thought when I tried it. "Hey, this cheap hot chocolate mix doesn't suck!" When I buy hot chocolate, I get the good stuff. But my husband and 9 year old would rather just open a packet. (He bought the Nestle's...) Even...+READ

    We have a box of the other Nestle's flavor - Rich Milk Chocolate - in our pantry right now. I almost dropped the laptop when I saw this article, because oddly I had the exact same thought when I tried it. "Hey, this cheap hot chocolate mix doesn't suck!" When I buy hot chocolate, I get the good stuff. But my husband and 9 year old would rather just open a packet. (He bought the Nestle's...) Even made with water, it was actually pretty tasty and fairly rich.

    It's no Vosges Haut Choclate, but at 25 cents a cup, it's pretty darned good.-COLLAPSE

  • My favorite hot chocolate is Mexican Hot Chocolate that they used to sell at the Second Cup. The only one that compares is the Hot Chocolate they were giving out at Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company one day. Not sure how they do it but it's delicious. Very chocolatey with a hint of chili or cinnamon or something. Anyone seen a mix for Mexican Hot Chocolate?

  • I never buy instant hot chocolate. Instead I heat up a mug of milk in the microwave. Add unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar and a splash of vanilla. Viola! Delicious hot chocolate! It's about 1 step harder to make than the instant stuff and tastes a million times better.

  • Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. Dee-lish. You can get it in some Manhattan groceries, particularly Village Farm (or whatever it's called), NE corner of 2nd Avne and 9th Street. They have lots of English imported stuff, esp. candy.

  • I've tried the caramel flavor and the mint flavor (not mentioned here). I rather like the caramel one; the caramel is subtle, but there. I have no major issue with the mint one as hot cocoa, but I can detect absolutely no mint flavor whatsoever. I stirred it with a candy cane to provide some of my own!

  • Serious hot cocoa talk here!!!! I haven't yet mastered fine hot cocoa at home. The best I've had was from a chocolate shop in Queenstown, New Zealand...I think it was called Patagonia. Second is Bent Spoon in Princeton, NJ. But as far as pre-mixed home types, I first went for Whole Foods 365 brand and it was gross. Really sweet fakey flavor. My new fav is a fair trade brand Equal Exchange. At...+READ

    Serious hot cocoa talk here!!!! I haven't yet mastered fine hot cocoa at home. The best I've had was from a chocolate shop in Queenstown, New Zealand...I think it was called Patagonia. Second is Bent Spoon in Princeton, NJ. But as far as pre-mixed home types, I first went for Whole Foods 365 brand and it was gross. Really sweet fakey flavor. My new fav is a fair trade brand Equal Exchange. At work I really just want to put hot water in it and have it be good enough and this was quite tastey. Chocolatey but not too sweet. I refuse to eat milk chocolate if that tells you what I like. I would recommend it for sure!-COLLAPSE

  • Sugar is bad. Milk is okay if you can take it. Fat is not bad. On the rare occasions I indulge in hot chocolate I'll make it with whole milk rather than water.

  • I just happened to be sipping on the Nestle's Dark Chocolate flavor, as I came upon this article. Don't agree with your assessment. I think that for an Instant Hot Cocoa Mix, it's the best that I've tried. As for your saying that it isn't sweet enough - I like sweet flavor, and I think that the amount of sweetness here, is just right. I think that if a chocolate or cocoa is overly sweet it takes...+READ

    I just happened to be sipping on the Nestle's Dark Chocolate flavor, as I came upon this article. Don't agree with your assessment. I think that for an Instant Hot Cocoa Mix, it's the best that I've tried. As for your saying that it isn't sweet enough - I like sweet flavor, and I think that the amount of sweetness here, is just right. I think that if a chocolate or cocoa is overly sweet it takes away from the chocolatey flavor that I'm looking for.
    I don't find it watery either. Are you adding more than the 6 ozs. of hot water that the directions call for?
    As for the Caramel flavor, I haven't tried it yet, but unless it somehow enhances the chocolate flavor, I think it would also detract from the chocolatiness what I'm looking for in a hot cocoa.-COLLAPSE

  • I'm sorry but I don't go cheap even when at work or at home. To me, I'd rather have what enjoy than falsely satisfy my choco-tooth!

    I like:
    Green and Black's
    St. Claire's Organics
    Ovaltine...yes, I do!!
    Equal Exchange
    Ablueutia
    and any straight, unsweetened cocoa powder, even Hershey's

    I don't like:
    Ah Alaska
    Swiss Miss
    Nestle packets
    Store brands/brown labels

    I used to like but now I find it...+READ

    I'm sorry but I don't go cheap even when at work or at home. To me, I'd rather have what enjoy than falsely satisfy my choco-tooth!

    I like:
    Green and Black's
    St. Claire's Organics
    Ovaltine...yes, I do!!
    Equal Exchange
    Ablueutia
    and any straight, unsweetened cocoa powder, even Hershey's

    I don't like:
    Ah Alaska
    Swiss Miss
    Nestle packets
    Store brands/brown labels

    I used to like but now I find it too sweet:
    Dagoba
    Ghirideli's

    I think I understand where the reviewer is going; some employers provide hot cocoa packets for free, just as they provide coffee, and these packets are usually cheaaaaap. But, I disagree.

    I have also found that, in a pinch, as emgroff said, adding milk can make a big difference if stuck with a packet. I haven't used a packet in ages though; just easier to buy good quality chocolate.-COLLAPSE

  • it simply is not that hard to make your own hot chocolate with a good brand of cocoa (i.e valrhonna,barry extra brute), sugar, milk, and hot water.

    i make ice blendeds every morning using a mixture of coffee, barry extra brute, valrhonna, sugar, soy milk, and ice.
    the packaged stuff can't even come close.

  • Personally, I'm partial to Mex hot chocolate -- Abuelita (a Nestle' product) and Ibarra are the brands that I usually can find locally. Add a couple of wedges to hot milk and stir well. It has a hint of almond, vanilla, and cinammon that take it to the next level.

  • Worthwhileluxury, milk, sugar and fat are not bad for you - but eating too much of them can be. Moderation in everything keeps most people healthy.

  • A decent cocoa (like Penzey's) milk, a bit of sugar and a drop of vanilla make a far better cocoa than this does--far from the overly rich drinking chocolate and way better than any mix.

  • The bottomline is anyone with half a taste bud should forgo this garbage and pick up some jacques torres, or find your nearest chocolatier and get their hot chocolate. Nestle's and Swiss Miss regardless of the pedigree is vile, vile liquid brown yuck that should only be served to convicts and Republicans.

  • Milk, sugar and fat is bad for you. You are right divadmas. You need the chocolate with the raw cocoa that contains high levels of flavonoids but also does NOT contain all the sugar, etc. I am unfortunately a chocaholic and have had to find an alterative to my obsession. haha. My husband wishes I loved him as much as I love my chocolate!
    Although, cuddling up to him on a cold day is almost as...+READ

    Milk, sugar and fat is bad for you. You are right divadmas. You need the chocolate with the raw cocoa that contains high levels of flavonoids but also does NOT contain all the sugar, etc. I am unfortunately a chocaholic and have had to find an alterative to my obsession. haha. My husband wishes I loved him as much as I love my chocolate!
    Although, cuddling up to him on a cold day is almost as nice as a hot chocolate! yeah!-COLLAPSE

  • I find that reconstituting instant cocoa powder with milk instead of water makes the end product infinitely better.

  • Well, if I may weigh in, this seems like a somewhat fair review, although I don't see how after calling it slightly above average James Norton arrives at four dots for taste.
    But, one can't help but wonder how this would have fared if it were a Nabisco product for which Mr. Norton seems to be strangely partial to.

  • cocoa lately has been touted for its effects on lowering high blood pressure. does this cocoa have the required flavinoids?
    for flavor I prefer carnation brand but haven't seen it in stores for awhile.