Review - Bissinger's Hot Cocoa

Today as I was making my morning hot chocolate, I reached for the Bissinger's. I noticed I was starting to get low on this one, so I grabbed my camera and snapped some pictures for a review.

Have you heard of Bissinger's? Here in Southern California, you can find their chocolates in Whole Foods markets, which is where I found this hot cocoa. Oddly, I can't find it online anywhere. Maybe they've stopped making it? Their website store has all of their products, of course, but the hot cocoa is missing.

They make a lot of very interesting chocolate products, and have a very long history which began in Paris, France. In 1668, King Louis XIV granted the Bissinger family the title of "Confiseur Imperial" because of their amazing confections. Eventually they brought their treats to America.

This is a hot cocoa, not a hot chocolate. Hot chocolate has actual chocolate in it, whereas cocoa usually only has cocoa powder. The ingredients include dried cream, vanilla powder, cinnamon, and rice bran. Interesting stuff! Most of the less expensive hot cocoas usually have some type of milk powder in them, but this is the first I've seen with dried cream.

The cinnamon is a nice touch. It's not strong and recognizable, like in a Mexican hot chocolate. It's subtle, but it certainly adds a flavor that elevates this cocoa. And rice bran? I had to look that one up! Apparently, it's "the layer between the inner white rice grain and the outer hull. While comprising just 8% of total weight, rice bran accounts for 60% of the nutrients found in each rice kernel." It's got antioxidants, too, so it's pretty good for you.

The directions specify to make it with milk. Another surprise. Usually cocoas that include a dried milk product are to be mixed with water, the dried milk product being there to help make it creamier once it's rehydrated. Which means this dried cream must be there make it even richer. Nice!

Prepared as the directions instruct, it's very rich and strong. You could cut the amount of mix they tell you to use in half and still have a great cup of cocoa. It's not the smoothest mix, mainly because cinnamon and rice bran don't actually dissolve like sugar does. But I wouldn't call this a grainy cocoa at all. It's very creamy. It's a wonderful hot cocoa, and it would be a shame if they're not making it anymore.

1/10/14 edit:  I just received a message from Bissinger's, and unfortunately, they're not selling hot cocoa mix anymore. That's too bad, it was really good!

Review - Lake Champlain Chai & Mighty Hot Chocolate

Today I'm trying out Lake Champlain's Chai & Mighty hot chocolate mix. It's exactly what it sounds like - hot chocolate with a bit of chai tea flavor. I'm not a big fan of tea, so I wasn't sure how I'd like this one.

The ingredients are pretty dang awesome for an instant mix. No powdered milk or anything like that, just sugar, cocoa, and the spices that give this hot chocolate it's very distinct flavor. I'm glad to see companies like Lake Champlain making simple hot chocolate mixes with natural, real ingredients. Next time you're at the grocery store, pick up that cheap box of hot cocoa powder packets and check out the ingredient list - nothing good in there!

They also print some fun facts about the history of cacao on the back of the package. Interesting reading if you're just relaxing at the table with your morning cup of chocolate.

It's recommended that you use milk for this one rather than water. The mix itself looks more like instant coffee than cocoa powder. Kind of clumpy. It dissolves nice and smoothly, though. And the smell inside that container - mmmmmmmm!

Chai & Mighty is great hot chocolate! Delicious and very relaxing, in a different way than hot chocolate being relaxing in the winter. It has a light, soothing aroma and flavor, perfect for mid-afternoon, and the ginger gives it a bit of a kick. Even though I don't like chai tea very much, I loved this one!

I'm enjoying mine in the only orange mug I own. Why? Because, believe it or not, it improves my perception of the flavor! Yay for science that improves everyone's hot chocolate experience! 

You can get Chai & Mighty at Lake Champlain's website or at Amazon. Here in Southern California, Whole Foods also carries it in their stores.

Review - Chuao Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate

After trying out that recipe for ancient xocolatl, I thought I'd review one that showed just how far spicy hot chocolates have come in over two thousand years.

The Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego is where I found this one. Chuao's Spicy Maya hot chocolate. While there on a weekend getaway, my girlfriend and I found a great chocolate shop on the bottom floor of the hotel, and this tin was just sitting there innocently. I purchased way more than I should have at that store, and I just couldn't leave this there without trying it. Peppers in hot chocolate was new to me at the time.

Wow! This stuff is just amazing! Hot chocolate with some kick! This is what a sweet, rich, spicy hot chocolate should taste like!

I would later learn that Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW) is right there in San Diego, founded by two brothers from Venezuela, Master Chef Michael Antonorsi and Richard Antonorsi. In 2011, Chuao won the sofi Awards Gold Award for Outstanding Hot Beverage with this firey chocolate drink.

There's a couple peppers in this, pasilla chile and cayenne, but what gives this hot chocolate its kick is the cayenne. The xocolatl recipe I made previously used a green chile, which didn't have quite the heat that the cayenne pepper brings to this party. There's a very distinct difference!

It's definitely got some heat, and you're going to feel it. If you're not a fan of spicy things, this may not be for you. I love spicy stuff, and this hot chocolate is just right. Not a relaxing cup of chocolate, this one's going to wake you up!

I only made the recommended serving, a 1/2 cup, and my throat was definitely burning a little bit after finishing it. In a good way, of course! It's rich and chocolaty (they use a blend of Venezuelan chocolates), and while the peppers give it some bite, the flavor of the peppers do not overpower the chocolate. I added in the last of my homemade marshmallows. (I'll post the recipe soon, since I have to make some more.)

Chuao has some chocolate cafes around San Diego county, so if you're down in that area, check them out. Around Los Angeles, I've spotted this hot chocolate in some Whole Foods stores, so keep your eyes open and check that cocoa section! Chuao's chocolate bars are pretty insane, as well. They have a potato chip bar, a honeycomb bar, maple bacon, and even a bar with pop rocks in it!

There's a bunch more spicy hot chocolates out there I'm going to review in the future. If you like this one, stay tuned. There's a wide variety!