Best hot chocolate mix (moved from L.A. board)

[mocro]

My collage-age daughter and her friends begged for hot chocolate last night (which they had while they watched Love Actually - heaven!) and I used up the last of a Barefoot Contessa mix I'd been gifted with.

I've never been much of a hot chocolate maker so I'll need to lay in supplies for the holidays and wondered if anyone had an idea of a consistently good mix? I'm a Costco shopper and wondered if they had a Ghiradelli mix as that often carry that brand. Thanks!

[bulavinaka]

MarieBelle Aztec is my favorite.

[Midlife]

Plentiful Pantry (from Utah) makes some that are very, very good. They come with a small bag of flavored crystals for the rim of the cup. Mmmmmm!

http://plentifulpantry.com

[JMF]

I like the Mexican chocolate disks like Abuelita. I also add a touch of cinnamon and cayenne, sometimes a tiny bit of cardamom.

[DiningDiva]

Try adding 2 or 3 whole cloves and some orange peel (or good quality orange extract) to the cinnamon and and milk/water when you're heating it, before adding the chocolate. Fish out the cloves and orange peel before serving. They add some additional nuance and dimension to the Mexican chocolate.

[ohbejoyful]

Mmmm...I don't have oranges at the moment, but I do have plenty of clementines so I'm definitely going to give this a try. Thanks, DiningDiva!

[Querencia]

Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. It is not usually sold in the United States but is so good that for years we ordered it from England and paid the shipping. Now there are online grocers that sell English products from here in the US so you just have to pay UPS. Do try it. We think it makes all other hot chocolate taste like molten plastic. Try it especially on a cold night with a shot of rum in it.

[alkapal]

trader joe's sipping chocolate is really good.

[ipsedixit]

I'm a Costco shopper and wondered if they had a Ghiradelli mix as that often carry that brand. Thanks!
____________________________

Yes, they do.

[beachmouse]

My favorite is the Williams-Sonoma stuff.

[montrealeater]

I suspect I am a hot chocolate philistine. My favourite brand is one an American roommate introduced me to at university, and I still have to have this picked up whenever someone travels across the border, usually to Vermont (not sure if it's available all over the States): Swiss Miss. It's sweet and milky and chocolatey and I can guzzle that stuff.

[loveshoez]

while i love melting real chocolate. ghiradelli does make a great hot chocolate powder - the best flavor is "chocolate mocha". my dad is cooking-challenged and he loves this stuff. if you can, heat your milk on the stove with a whisk (i use silicone so it doesn't mess up my pot) and whisk the powder in. It blends better and there is no milk "film" like in the microwave. i have never seen the mix at costco though, but you can get it at cost plus, whole foods or cheaper at ghiradelli.com with ebates and coupon codes. enjoy!

[loveshoez]

or if you get to paris, get L'Atelier chocolat chaud. it is their hot chocolate powder. and while you are there, get the tea flavored chocolate pieces. Thé is what the flavor is callled...

[ohbejoyful]

No need to get a film when you heat milk in a mike - just reduce the time and you should be fine! I zap 250 ml every morning, and the only time I've had to deal with a film was when I was overheating it. I have a 750 watt machine, and 2 minutes on high heats 250 ml to a perfect steamy temp, perfect for frothing in my tiny french press. Now I'll be experimenting with dropping a Dove or two into the milk first - yum!

[eclecticsynergy]

My favorite hot chocolate is made from real chocolate, not from a mix- but it's just as easy.
Soften a couple squares of Dove Dark and mix well with hot milk. You won't be sorry.