Hot Chocolate

[Iris]

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?.

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?

actually, no. At least not for us. We deliver their beverage tray outside their door an hour before their requested breakfast time. Beverages are in carafes, so for our chocolate drinker (most of the time it's only 1 person in the room who orders choc), we give them a few packets to choose from and a carafe of hot water. They do their own when they're ready.
If I were to make the choc, I would spend more time, and I would end up throwing out much more of the product. Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.
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Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.

Oh, oh pick me, pick me! I wish more places HAD cocoa. I don't drink tea or coffee. And a lot of places don't have OJ, either. Cranberry, grapefruit but no OJ. No chocolate and no OJ and I'm going back to bed!
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Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.

Oh, oh pick me, pick me! I wish more places HAD cocoa. I don't drink tea or coffee. And a lot of places don't have OJ, either. Cranberry, grapefruit but no OJ. No chocolate and no OJ and I'm going back to bed!

So what we need is a hot cocoa "set up" vs a cup or carafe of hot water or cocoa. You can find plenty of smaller carafe or tea pots for cocoa. Bodum makes this one. You can find less expensive.
I would use Dove, Ghiradelli, or Starbucks nice hot cocoa if this is something many people like delivered. You can't say it is way too costly when they aren't drinking the coffee, but chocolate instead.
Hey look Eric I see your "treats" in the background and more on this.
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Oh that cute little Bodum one is just that, cute. I may have to have it for myself

 

[Arks]

I have assorted LOL packets for those who want hot chocolate.
Just have to mention that it was the Spanish who brought chocolate from the New World and introduced it to Europe, and they can still teach us a thing or two about hot chocolate. Their's is the best I've ever tasted.
http://youtu.be/6a-IXtIJohE

 

[Generic]

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?.

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?

actually, no. At least not for us. We deliver their beverage tray outside their door an hour before their requested breakfast time. Beverages are in carafes, so for our chocolate drinker (most of the time it's only 1 person in the room who orders choc), we give them a few packets to choose from and a carafe of hot water. They do their own when they're ready.
If I were to make the choc, I would spend more time, and I would end up throwing out much more of the product. Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.
.

You can try this recipe... http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hot-cocoa-mix/ and put them into small plastic bags (we have a store that actually has different size little plastic bags) or in a small container, like a sugar bowl. Add some mini marshmallows. If you want it a bit richer, I would use something like one of the high quality cocoas, like Callebaut or Droste. Or you could use something less upscale like Hershey's and then grate some high quality white chocolate into the mix (which is what I would do). If you really want it to be very deep chocolate, you could add a little espresso powder (if you don't get LDS members, since they would object to the caffeine). Espresso powder would deepen the chocolate flavour, maybe a tablespoon to the whole mix, so it's there but not prevalent.
Thinking about it, you could then seperate some of the mix and partially flavour some for fancy options. You can crush mint candies for a mint chocolate. You can crush some caramel candies for a caramel chocolate. Some vanilla powder for French vanilla chocolate. I'm sure you can think of many other variations. Crush candies would just serve as more sweetness and powdered (via your food processor) would simply "disappear" when mixed with hot water.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Thanks everyone! DH found some LOL on amazon for a really good price ($.28 per packet) so we ordered some from there. Also, Kathleen sent me a recipe that looks really simple and delish, so I'll try that and put my own spin on it.
I appreciate all the input!

 

[gillumhouse]

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?.

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?

actually, no. At least not for us. We deliver their beverage tray outside their door an hour before their requested breakfast time. Beverages are in carafes, so for our chocolate drinker (most of the time it's only 1 person in the room who orders choc), we give them a few packets to choose from and a carafe of hot water. They do their own when they're ready.
If I were to make the choc, I would spend more time, and I would end up throwing out much more of the product. Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.
.

You can try this recipe... http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hot-cocoa-mix/ and put them into small plastic bags (we have a store that actually has different size little plastic bags) or in a small container, like a sugar bowl. Add some mini marshmallows. If you want it a bit richer, I would use something like one of the high quality cocoas, like Callebaut or Droste. Or you could use something less upscale like Hershey's and then grate some high quality white chocolate into the mix (which is what I would do). If you really want it to be very deep chocolate, you could add a little espresso powder (if you don't get LDS members, since they would object to the caffeine). Espresso powder would deepen the chocolate flavour, maybe a tablespoon to the whole mix, so it's there but not prevalent.
Thinking about it, you could then seperate some of the mix and partially flavour some for fancy options. You can crush mint candies for a mint chocolate. You can crush some caramel candies for a caramel chocolate. Some vanilla powder for French vanilla chocolate. I'm sure you can think of many other variations. Crush candies would just serve as more sweetness and powdered (via your food processor) would simply "disappear" when mixed with hot water.
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The mix recipe I sent her had adding ground cinnamon for a variation.
Ding-ding - irony time: Just opened a Father's Day package from Iowa daughter and with the stuff for Dad was a package for Granny - 2 big Godica bars AND a tin of Godiva hot chocolate!

 

[Joey Camb]

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?.

ummm, wouldn't it be much tastier and actually cheaper to make the hot chocolate out of good chocolate and milk?

actually, no. At least not for us. We deliver their beverage tray outside their door an hour before their requested breakfast time. Beverages are in carafes, so for our chocolate drinker (most of the time it's only 1 person in the room who orders choc), we give them a few packets to choose from and a carafe of hot water. They do their own when they're ready.
If I were to make the choc, I would spend more time, and I would end up throwing out much more of the product. Most people want just a cup, but I would have to do a whole small carafe for them or it would look like I was rationing them. They rarely would drink the whole carafe.
.

You can try this recipe... http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hot-cocoa-mix/ and put them into small plastic bags (we have a store that actually has different size little plastic bags) or in a small container, like a sugar bowl. Add some mini marshmallows. If you want it a bit richer, I would use something like one of the high quality cocoas, like Callebaut or Droste. Or you could use something less upscale like Hershey's and then grate some high quality white chocolate into the mix (which is what I would do). If you really want it to be very deep chocolate, you could add a little espresso powder (if you don't get LDS members, since they would object to the caffeine). Espresso powder would deepen the chocolate flavour, maybe a tablespoon to the whole mix, so it's there but not prevalent.
Thinking about it, you could then seperate some of the mix and partially flavour some for fancy options. You can crush mint candies for a mint chocolate. You can crush some caramel candies for a caramel chocolate. Some vanilla powder for French vanilla chocolate. I'm sure you can think of many other variations. Crush candies would just serve as more sweetness and powdered (via your food processor) would simply "disappear" when mixed with hot water.
.

The mix recipe I sent her had adding ground cinnamon for a variation.
Ding-ding - irony time: Just opened a Father's Day package from Iowa daughter and with the stuff for Dad was a package for Granny - 2 big Godica bars AND a tin of Godiva hot chocolate!
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we have a fairtrade one from our local wholesalers (seems the UK wholesales are a bit more set up with what we call portion packs) we are an official fair trade town and Yorkshire our county is the first Fair Trade county as well - (you have to have so many businesses selling more than 5 fair trade products each) its nice to think every time we serve a cup of coffee we help send a child to school.
plus its the best fricking hot chocolate I have ever tasted - my top for a long time what what they make in Belgium - no idea whats in that but it is also excellent - mine is the best ive found in the UK

 

[Kay Nein]

I have packets but no LOL or SM around here. Ours are Nestlé Carnation. Once a year they usually have a box that contains chocolate bar flavours, so we buy those and use them until they run out. Those are a mix of After Eight, Rolo and Coffee Crisp. Okay, stop rolling your eyes, those are chocolate bar brands around here. But remember, I'm not high market.
What I really want to do is learn how to make those hot chocolate mix on a stick with marshmallows. See recipe http://www.30poundsofapples.com/2011/12/hot-chocolate-sticks/.

Are you saying that you don't have LOL/SM at your Inn or that it's not available in your area? I have always had SM in my own home and recently found a great sale of $1 for a box of NC, so I grabbed a few boxes. One night I made a cup of both to compare them and found the NC brand to be terribly bland compared to SM. I was shocked. I threw away all my NC - it wasn't worth the milk I made it with.

 

[Kay Nein]

I have packets but no LOL or SM around here. Ours are Nestlé Carnation. Once a year they usually have a box that contains chocolate bar flavours, so we buy those and use them until they run out. Those are a mix of After Eight, Rolo and Coffee Crisp. Okay, stop rolling your eyes, those are chocolate bar brands around here. But remember, I'm not high market.
What I really want to do is learn how to make those hot chocolate mix on a stick with marshmallows. See recipe http://www.30poundsofapples.com/2011/12/hot-chocolate-sticks/.

That hot chocolate mix on a stick looks adorable, fun and charming. I would love to make those for our guests, but definitely don't want them in my fridge using my milk and messing up my microwave. There were comments about adding powdered milk, but they agreed it would be too think to work with. I might need to do an experiment...

 

[Generic]

I have packets but no LOL or SM around here. Ours are Nestlé Carnation. Once a year they usually have a box that contains chocolate bar flavours, so we buy those and use them until they run out. Those are a mix of After Eight, Rolo and Coffee Crisp. Okay, stop rolling your eyes, those are chocolate bar brands around here. But remember, I'm not high market.
What I really want to do is learn how to make those hot chocolate mix on a stick with marshmallows. See recipe http://www.30poundsofapples.com/2011/12/hot-chocolate-sticks/.

Are you saying that you don't have LOL/SM at your Inn or that it's not available in your area? I have always had SM in my own home and recently found a great sale of $1 for a box of NC, so I grabbed a few boxes. One night I made a cup of both to compare them and found the NC brand to be terribly bland compared to SM. I was shocked. I threw away all my NC - it wasn't worth the milk I made it with.
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LoL and SM are not available here. It's NC or store brand.
Remember a lot of brands from south of the border are too afraid to do business up here, language issues and food inspection issues. We are tougher on food inspection, supposedly.