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How do you like your hot cocoa?

At work I make hot cocoa as such:

1) 4oz of Ghirardelli fine cocoa powder.

289018.jpg


2) Add to 8 oz of fresh milk.

3) Drop the mix in a steaming pitcher.

latte-art-steaming-pitcher.jpg


4) Steam it on the Nuova Simonelli in a similar fashion as I would steam milk for a cappuccino, creating 2-3 inches of the most delectable chocolate milkfroth ever.

auralia_lg.jpg


:D :D
 
OutThere said:
At work I make hot cocoa as such:

1) 4oz of Ghirardelli fine cocoa powder.

2) Add to 8 oz of fresh milk.

3) Drop the mix in a steaming pitcher.

4) Steam it on the Nuova Simonelli in a similar fashion as I would steam milk for a cappuccino, creating 2-3 inches of the most delectable chocolate milkfroth ever.
:D :D
Click to expand...

Doesn't that gunk up the steaming wand a bit more than needed?

Where I worked, we'd always mix the chocolate by half with about a quarter of the steamed milk then top it off, it would form sort of a chocolate crema if you did it right. Of course, I still never figured out a good way to make chocolate whipped cream, so the chocolate foam idea sounds good right now.
 
I don't mind the powdered stuff at all.

However, I've always wondered why they need to make it in powder form when real chocolate and sugar in a packet would probably take the same length of time to expire. Can it be cheaper to turn it into powdered form before selling it to you?
 
Hershey and Nestlé both have premium cocoa mix that tastes better even if you only use water. I like to substitute milk for half the water.

If I have the time, I want it extra hot so I just hold it so that the aroma drifts upward and makes me remember some cold day when I'd just entered the house from having too much fun in the snow.
 
Some nice instant NESTLE hot cocoa, with a dash o' milk and a handful of mini marshmallows. mmmmmm.....
 
TheAnswer said:
Doesn't that gunk up the steaming wand a bit more than needed?
Click to expand...

nah...I mean it does cover the steam wand in caked on chocolatey milk crud, but there are three steam wands, in case a customer orders something while on is dirty, and we have rags to clean them off.

Plus the steam on that thing is so strong I've never seen it clog. Even when some of the employees who don't care™ don't bother cleaning the caked-on milk off of it for days, as soon as I come in and wipe it down one tap on the lever and it blasts itself clean.

I actually never use it at full power if I'm making a cappuccino/macchiato or something else that needs good foam. It winds up heating the milk up too fast and not giving me enough time to get a good froth on top.

Sorry I'm rambling now. I love being a barista! :) I've been working on this latte-art leaf pattern lately:

leaf2.jpg
 
The best hot chocolate I've had is at a South American in the city. The Aztec Hot Chocolate is to die for! It's good quality dark chocolate pieces, chilli paste, honey and cinnamon at the bottom of the mug with hot milk poured over it. Stir it up and it's wicked.

I'm also a fan of a hot chocolate with a slug of liqueur in it (especially Frangelico or Kahlua).
 
Applespider said:
Most impressive... can you come and work in my local coffee shop? ;)

So... how do you get get it like that? Pour it out normally and then create the pattern with a stirrer?
Click to expand...

You pour in just milk, carefully not disturbing the crema, then you pour a tiny bit of foam on the top in a relatively thin line across the cup, then draw the shape with the back-end of a spoon.

My skills are currently...in need of a little practice, but I'm getting there. :p
 
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