Hot Chocolate Season Is Here – The 1 Hack We Swear By For Barista-Level Drinks At Home
Forget pumpkin-spiced lattes – we’re hot chocolate people through and through. This September, chocoholics everywhere can rejoice, as iconic confectionery brand Hotel Chocolat has just launched a new and seriously upgraded version of their legendary Velvetiser. It makes drinking hot chocolate at home just as good as in your favourite coffee shop. After all, what’s cosier than a cup of it curled up on the sofa? Here’s everything you need to know…
In Partnership With Hotel Chocolat
What is the Velvetiser?
If you’ve not heard of Hotel Chocolat’s iconic Velvetiser, where have you been? Not a gifting season goes by without us raving about this kitchen gadget, and for good reason – it’s the ultimate gift for any self-confessed chocolate aficionado. It’s essentially the simplest way to make barista-grade hot chocolate at home, and with the chillier season on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself.
You simply buy one of the many drinking chocolate selections (more on their epic flavours later), which are made from real, ethical and high-quality chocolate, mix with your milk of choice, and the machine does the magic.
This is the ultimate gift for any self-confessed chocolate aficionado.
Astrid, Contributing Fashion & Lifestyle Editor
My friend, who I lived with for a while, had a Velvetiser and it made crisp autumn evenings feel nice and cosy.
Andrea, Contributing Food, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
What’s new?
The Velvetiser already has a legion of dedicated hot chocolate-drinking fans – some would even call it a cult classic – but the Hotel Chocolat team has gone one step further. They’ve created a 2.0 version that’s sleeker, chicer, and more versatile than ever.
This new model not only delivers the perfect hot chocolate, but has also mastered the art of cold drinking chocolate, with a specially developed range of six cold recipes made from finely milled real chocolate and melds them seamlessly with pre-chilled milk (scroll down to see our favourite flavours).
The design of the new and improved Velvetiser is also completely fresh. While we loved the original, this one is chicer and will take pride of place on open shelving or a kitchen countertop. Plus, the Velvetiser and its bespoke Podcup and Podglass were designed in collaboration with Royal College of Arts ceramicist Andrew Wicks.
What to make…
For hot chocolate, you can choose from over 20 recipes. Flavours range from the perfectly balanced and satisfyingly rich Classic 70% dark chocolate to the ultimate indulgence of Black Forest Gateau, a blend of morello and black cherries in 70% dark and 36% white chocolate. And for a chilled drink, you can select from flavours like Classic, Banana, Cherry, or Mandarin & Orange.
I’m a sucker for white chocolate, and I would order this over a regular hot chocolate.
Natasha, Digital Editor
Each chocolate recipe is carefully perfected with the brand’s ‘more cacao, less sugar’ ethos in mind. Cacao is beneficial because it is rich in antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and iron, and flavanols, which support heart health, improve blood flow, boost brain function, and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. It also contains compounds that can improve mood.
The result is a satisfyingly rich, yet not too sweet, flavour. Say goodbye to saccharine-sweet chocolate milks and claggy, lumpy hot chocolate, and hello to pure indulgence.
I thought I wouldn’t like the salted caramel, but it’s delicious.
Robyn, Managing Director
Where can you shop…
Unsurprisingly, the early access to the new Velvetiser sold out almost immediately, with another drop releasing today [11th September] in three colourways: Pebble, Pewter, and Chalk.
Shop the full range at www.hotelchocolat.com
