Hot cocoa mix - need help!

[jkljkl]

Can anyone recommend a good brand of hot cocoa?

I buy powdered hot cocoa mix. I make it by mixing it up with boiling water. No matter how much I stir it, I cannot get rid of the powder clumps. I have tried mashing them up with a fork, it doesn't help much. I don't like drinking hot cocoa with clumps in it.

I'm currently drinking a generic brand of cocoa mix, but wonder if the Nestle or Swiss Miss would work better as far as clumping goes.

[sal987]

yeah, that's always a problem with the mixes, and I'm not sure name brands make all that much difference. What I've found can help though is this: First add just enough of the boiling water to cover the powder, stir, and get it as dissolved as you can, then keep gradually adding more water and stirring.

This homemade instant cocoa recipe works really well and doesn't tend to clump up like the store bought mixes do. Haven't made this in a while myself, but it's only four ingredients, really easy to remember:

1 box dry milk (forget size; just the "standard" size box I think?)
1 box powdered sugar
1 box Nestle's Quick (or store brand equivalent)
1 jar coffee creamer (16oz or 20-whatever oz either one)

(Feel free to google "homemade instant cocoa" recipe.)
Mix the dry ingredients in a big ol' bowl and scoop it all into air-tight container(s). Four heaping tablespoons to a regular cup. For large mugs, try 1/4 cup first. You may have to adjust amounts until you find just how much is right for you. I've used up to 1/3 cup to a mug when I wanted it really "rich".

[jkljkl]

Thanks. I knew there was a technique for mixing the cocoa with the hot water, but I could not remember it.

Thanks for the cocoa recipe, I will have to give it a try and let you know how it turns out.

I am not sure why the commercial mixes clump so much.

[motherofmolly]

and ill answer about swiss miss...nope it still clumps

[Rene S]

Have you tried mixing it with a little wire whisk?

I will admit, I'm a bit of a hot cocoa snob. I have to use Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. It's soooooo yummy but can be difficult to find. I get mine primarily at World Market.

[mom2lucas]

I'm interested to try that homemade instant recipe! We go through a ton of cocoa in the winter now that the kids are big enough to drink it. DH will drink a cup every night, and the kids will ask for cocoa and cookies for snack on a regular basis.

[jkljkl]

Instead of a powdered drink, I might try making hot chocolate from liquids like melted chocolate, milk, etc. Since there won't be any powder, there is no way that powder clumps can form. Those things annoy me to no end !!!

I wish someone would invent hot chocolate that could be bought cold in a carton, and just heated up.

[clippyclippy]

I don't mind powdered cocoa mix, but there's nothing like the real thing! Here's the recipe my mom always used- we much prefer it over the instant! (guaranteed no clumping! )

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c sugar (start with less and add more if desired)
pinch salt
1/3 c boiling water
Combine the above ingredients in a saucepan, simmer for about 2 minutes, then add:
3 1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Heat until hot, but not boiling. Pour into mugs and then add half & half to cool it down a little. Whipped cream optional

And if you only want one cup, here's a microwave recipe I found on the Hershey's site:
MICROWAVE SINGLE SERVING: Combine 1 heaping teaspoon cocoa, 2 heaping teaspoons sugar and dash salt in microwave-safe cup or mug. Add 2 teaspoons cold milk; stir until smooth. Fill cup with milk. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir to blend; serve

While I was at it, I noticed my above recipe, with slightly altered ingredients. You can adjust the amount of cocoa/sugar/milk to taste.

[sal987]

clippyclippy's recipe sounds quite good, but hey, I'm lazy. lol If I can just boil water (better even, heat it up in a pyrex cup in the microwave, not bother with stove top at all) and pour it over mix in a cup, stir, enjoy....all the better.

Have never had any clumping problem with the homemade powdered mix. Not sure what's in most ready-made store-bought mixes that tend to make them clump up, but when you think about it, all the ingredients in the homemade powder mix are very soluble separately: dry milk, powdered sugar, Nestle's Quik, instant creamer.

[shelleyf]

A few years ago I got a Mr. Coffee Hot Chocolate machine as a gift. Laughed at it because WHO is that lazy, lol Well it is a favorite machine in this house in the winter and so easy to use. But what is great about it is that it makes the top very frothy (like a cappucino look) and no clumps. I use half milk/ half water in mine as it tastes better. I thought people might get it to be lazy but what is the perk is the way it makes the chocolate taste, no cold spots, all perfectly even heat, frothy and downright awesome. I am so grateful I have 8 nice-sized cans of hot chocolate for the winter stocked. I wouldn't be able to get any right now if I didn't. Bring on the cold weather already.