- 14 July 2013
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We've tested over 30 brands. Our favorites after much testing and recipe experimenting are the following. PLEASE NOTE: We have come up with a formula for making the best hot chocolate when using 100% cocoa powder! (Some powders below are 100% cocoa powder, others are "mixed with sugar and ready to just add milk.")
Our directions for making the best cocoa:
Disregard the directions on the container. Go with this!:
Intro a dry cup, with not liquid yet, add the following:
1. Scoop cocoa power into a cup. (Below we tell you how much per brand.)
2. Add sugar to the cup. (However, In half the brands below, there is already sugar added, so do not add sugar to those!). Just add sugar when it is 100% pure cocoa powder, unsweetened.)
3. For unsweetened 100% pure cocoa powder, if you have kids who like it sweeter, add 1 extra Tablespoon of sugar to make it more "commercally sweet." ( We prefer less sugar however, and most adults will also.)
4. For those brands that are 100% pure cocoa powder, add 3 T (Tablespoons) of water and mix the cocoa powder and sugar.
5. Last: pour in 1 C (cup) of the nearly boiling whole milk. Stir it. You're done!
Here's the list of the Top 10
The Top 10 are nearly interchangeable on the list. But we agree these are the Best (the As).
Below that are the B's and C's:
When you see two asterisks (**), it is 100% pure cocoa powder. So mix the following::
2 T powder, 2 T sugar, 3 T water. Mix together in a mug, then add 1 C (Cup) hot whole milk.
Only 2 exceptions. They are noted below:
A's:
1. Williams and Sonoma Classic Hot Cocoa (uses flakes, not powder!). It includes sugar. It is made for them by Guitttard of San Francisco.. Use 4 T (Tablespoons) powder flakes, not 2. Grade: A+
2.** Trader Joe's Cocoa Powder (not Sipping Chocolate!). Grade: A
3. Blanxart Traditional Spanish. A
4. ** Pralus 100% cocoa powder. A -
5. ** Cacao di Pernigotti. A -
6. Askinosie Chocolate A - -
7.** Pralus Cacao Show. Use 1/2 the powder as the 100% cocoa powders above - so use 1 T of powder, plus the other stuff. A - - -
8. ** Bellagio A - - -
9. ** Scharfen Berger. 3 T cocoa powder, 3 T sugar, 3 T water A - - - -
10. Allegro Drinking Chocolate, Costa Rican 64. (IN TOP 10, BUT MUST RE-TEST to compare to others above). About A - - - -
Bs:
a. Trader Joe's Sipping Chocolate. B + + +
b. Ghiradelli Sweet Ground Chocolate or double chocolate. Change the directions to use 3 Tablespoons powder. (Recipe on can is too weak.) B + +
c. Ghiradelli Double Chocolate. Ditto. 3 T. B +
d. ** Apurimac B +
e-1. Allegro Domincian Republic 54 APPROXIMATE POSITION. (This was tested separately than most on this list, which were tested together.)
e-2. ** Hersheys !00% cocoa powder (not the hot chocolate mix that comes with sugar. This is MUCH better. B
f-1. Cadbury's (U.K version best) B -
g. Les Confitures Ancienne B - -
h. ** Valrhona (only tested with the Top 17 above, and rated a C -. It MIGHT rate higher if compared with this second test list below, which were tested separately.
ALL THESE BELOW WERE TESTED TOGETHER, BUT NOT WITH THOSE ABOVE. IF THE ONES BELOW HAD BEEN TESTED WITH THE LIST ABOVE, THE GRADES OF THOSE BELOW WOULD BE SOMEWHAT LOWER.
i. Ghiradelli Premium Hot Cocoa (comes in a mix) B+
j. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Co. "Dark" B
k-1. Nestles' (in a can, minus the packets, which have junky hydrogenated oil). B -
(Noteworthy are two that are hard to find, and would need to be ordered from the company:)
.
k-2 E. Guittard 61% Sunrise #3610 (couverture chocolate pieces - 20 per cup of milk) B - -
k-3 E. Guittard 72% Sunset #3720 (couverture chocolate pieces - 20 per cup of milk) (tested separately from this list; would rate about B - -
Cs and Ds:
m. Kroger C++
n. Hershey's Cacao Reserve (with junky hydrogenated oil). In packets. C++
o. Green & Black C
p. Silly Cow Farms All Natural C-
q. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Co. "Milk" D+
r. Ovaltine Rich D+
More Cs and Ds, in approximate order (only u and v were compared with each other):
Also TESTED SEPARATELY THAN ABOVE 2 TESTS.
s. 365 (Whole Foods Market brand). Packaged "Hot Cocoa" (only small packet brand with no hydrogenated oil, that we have found)
t. Williams-Sonoma Sweet Ground Chocolate
u. Allegro Peruvian 68
v. Droste (last place)
