Supermarket Standoff: Hot Chocolate

We have embarked on a taste test tour of your favorite supermarket foods. We try them, we score them, and we share the results to help you avoid the paralysis that can come with Brand Choice Overload.

Today's topic: hot chocolate.

Baby, it's cold outside. Snowy weather and chilly winds are Mother Nature's cue to slurp up a cup of cocoa. But not just any cup--you deserve the good stuff. We embarked on a blind taste test of a dozen ready-made hot chocolate mixes. The brands we tested vary in price from Swiss Miss to Jacques Torres, but we prepared each one according to package instructions using whole milk. After a half hour of sipping and diligent note-taking, we picked our five favorites.

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Our Favorites for Flavor

#1 Jacques Torres Classic Hot Chocolate

Nutrition: 1 serving = 150 calories; 11 g total fat; 9 g sugars.

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa nibs, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla, lecithin), whole milk powder, cornstarch.

Cost: $18/18 oz. SRP.

Blind Tasting Notes: "Very rich, slightly bitter"; "Very chocolat chaud European-style"; "Good mix of sweet and dark chocolate"; "Like drinking ganache", "Really thick, maybe too thick".

#2 Godiva Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

Nutrition: 1 serving = 130 calories; 2.5 g total fat; 22 g sugars

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali), milk chocolate (sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, skim milk, butter oil), bittersweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, anhydrous dextrose), soy lecithin--an emulsifier, natural flavoring (milk).

Cost: $10/13.1 oz. SRP.

Blind Tasting Notes: "Good chocolate aroma", "Decent chocolate taste"; "Full flavor without being too rich".

#3 Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa Double Chocolate

Nutrition: 1 serving = 140 calories; 1.5 g total fat; 31 g sugars.

Ingredients: Sweet ground chocolate, cocoa (sugar, cocoa--processed with alkali, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin--an emulsifier, vanilla).

Cost: $5.95/16 oz. SRP.

Blind Tasting Notes: "Love the texture"; "Very good and chocolate-y"; "Good for a quick fix".

#4 E. Guittard Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate

Nutrition: 1 serving = 150 calories; 7 g total fat; 19 g sugars.

Ingredients: Cocoa (Dutch processed with alkali), pure cane sugar, bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin), natural flavor.

Cost: $9/10 oz. SRP.

Blind Tasting Notes: "Complex texture and good chocolate-y aftertaste"; "Good chocolate flavor"; "Good mouthfeel, not too sweet".

#5 Tasse de Chocolat by La Maison du Chocolat

Nutrition: 1 serving = 220 calories; 8 g total fat; 18 g sugars.

Ingredients: Cocoa paste, sugar, cocoa butter, glazing agents: maltodextrins and lac gum, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural vanilla extract. Dark chocolate contains: cocoa 64% minimum.

Cost: $18/7.4 oz. SRP.

Blind Tasting Notes: "Not sweet, very cocoa nibb-y"; "Very dark chocolate-y, grows on me"; "One note, but a good one!".

Note: Not all hot chocolates in this test may be available at your local supermarket, but they can be purchased online.

 

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