Hot chocolate stations

Instant hot choc is a must for MrM any time of the day at the moment. He prefers that to the ones made with milk. I used to love the ones piled with cream etc.

Don't think I'll rush out and spend £100 on a Hotel Chocolate machine though. DIY for me.

I like the Cadburys drinking chocolate made with milk.

When I've ordered hot chocolate in a restaurant it's usually far from hot and not that chocolately either.

Love the idea of the dandelion station Janejudge

I don't bother with sprinkles or marshmallows, but I have a velvetiser, and I keep it out and plugged in, next to matching storage jars filled with flavoured chocolate. It's ready when I want a hot drink, and the flavours are easy to see if I have a friend over - it's easier than rooting through a cupboard to find what I want.

Ok, the velvetiser is a luxury item, but so what? It makes better chocolate than boiling milk in a pan, and it's much easier to clean than a milk pan.

I drink instant low calorie (!) hot chocolate all year round, it's my evening treat. We don't have biscuits, sweets, crisps etc in the house, because I'd eat them.

At Christmas, I do make one of these hot chocolate stations, pure indulgence, but simply done. I use a shallow wooden tray, and add my usual jar of hot chocolate, Christmas mugs, and a glass jar filled with those tiny marshmallows. It makes it seem even more of a treat!

After Christmas, the hot chocolate goes back on the normal tray with the coffees, and the other things are packed away till next year. It's a Christmas thing!

Take care xx

How strange? Bliss,and slept like a log when changing from tea to hot chocolate as my bedtime drink without middle of the night bathroom visits unlike when drinking tea

I just have the M&S instant ones. They are good but I shouldn't be do idle.

Do any of you drink cocoa. I use it for baking but have never taken to it as a drink.

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This is an American ‘thing’ - many homes have them all year round, then they are decorated seasonally (Christmas, Halloween, etc.). It’s not just one electrical item - it’s a mini drinks kitchen…..

Ah, that’s what my small saucepan is called; it’s dual purpose, custard station as well.

You’re on fire today JaneJudge, hilarious comments.

I just make hot chocolate basically with melted Belgian chocolate and some milk. If I make it too strong though, it can be a nerve mangler.

I had one at bedtime last night sans pissenlits! My bladder and pelvic floor must be iron cast. Pleased to discover that something in my body still works. ?

Jangler- mangler may result in the same effect too.

Jaxjacky

Ah, that’s what my small saucepan is called; it’s dual purpose, custard station as well.

I've burnt mine.
Now it's a fire station.

I like a good old cup of cocoa. Often at 3.47 am when I can’t sleep.
Raymond Briggs’ grumpy old Father Christmas likes the same, according to the book which I recently dug out, so I’m in good grumpy company.

Do you add sugar to cocoa?

Can’t have any of these newfangled things-they increase my carbon footprint and trying chocolate mixed with oat or almond milk was not delicious. Must be made with hot milk for a good night’s sleep..

Do you add sugar to your cocoa?

No. Drinking chocolate already has sugar in but when I use cocoa, it’s just powder and milk.

Best hot chocolate I’ve ever had was from the Edinburgh Harvey Nicks. There’s a chocolate bar, with a conveyor belt on which are wee bowls of goodies like chocolate drops, mini marshmallows, etc., plus individual portions of various cakes. You help yourself to whatever you want as the belt comes round, the actual hot choc is made by staff obviously. Not cheap, but definitely worth the money.
That would have been four years ago and COVID has probably made them change the system unfortunately.

Beswitched

Do you add sugar to cocoa?

I do, just under a flat tsp.
TBH I find most hot chocolate over-sweet, if it’s chocolate-y enough.

Can't we just use a spoon?

SpringyChicken, I reserve the spoon for finishing off every jar of Nutella I buy when Gdcs are coming to stay (Nutella pancakes for breakfast).
But I do buy the smallest jar. I can blame dh for once buying a whopper - it’s not as if he ever eats it, either!

Lizzie72

This is an American ‘thing’ - many homes have them all year round, then they are decorated seasonally (Christmas, Halloween, etc.). It’s not just one electrical item - it’s a mini drinks kitchen…..

I think that's the thing. Different cultures and different families have their own traditions and customs.

But nowadays some people seem to grab at every tradition, photos go up on social media, the marketing men see an opportunity to make money and what started as simple traditions become generic money spinners.

The shops nowadays are full of custom made Christmas Eve boxes, special Christmas pyjamas etc etc and many parents of young children feel pressured into getting all this stuff.

It just feels as if lovely customs and traditions are becoming increasingly commercialised and are losing their original meaning.

This is something new to me. I don’t know what a velvetiser is. I just use half milk half water and Cadbury’s drinking chocolate or for quickness Options. I do buy mini marshmallows but I’m a bit naughty and eat them all ?