There are few things that have as broad an appeal as chocolate. This dish of the gods has firmly established itself at the top of most people’s favourite foods list and has become a staple in many of our diets. We believe that the only way to improve chocolate is to make it drinkable (Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser).
Whoever thought of hot chocolate deserves more credit than they get. Transforming a solid into liquid results in a sweet, rich, creamy drink that may be consumed at any time of day.
But how exactly do you prepare hot chocolate? Perhaps you could microwave the milk or warm the mixture in a pan? Perhaps you have someone make it for you on the way to work, or you – whisper it – use a sachet and water from the kettle. Whatever method you now use to create hot chocolate appears to be incorrect.
That Magic
Sorry for being so harsh, but we’ve all been doing it wrong for years. Because, we’re willing to guess, very few of us have been making our hot chocolate in a Hotel Chocolat velvetiser. Yes, you’ve heard of a coffee machine and a tea kettle, but until today, little attention has been paid to the tools we use to prepare hot chocolate. The velvetiser comes into play.
When it comes to sipping litres of warm milk and melted chocolate, we’re pretty unselfish, so we put Hotel Chocolat’s velvetiser through its paces to tell you our honest thoughts on this winter’s must-have kitchen gadget.
We’re not going to mess around when it comes to chocolate. We’re treating this superfood (hey, come on, it’s loaded with antioxidants) with the respect it deserves, and we’re thoroughly evaluating it.
To obtain the full effect of the Hotel Chocolat velvetiser, we tested it first with the recommended hot chocolate sachets, then with normal good old Cadbury’s hot chocolate powder for a little glow up. We believed that selecting options at opposite ends of the spectrum would provide us with a clear picture of how much of a difference the velvetiser can make, even with very different products.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser: What exactly is a velvetiser?
A velvetiser is a machine that makes hot chocolate, similar to a typical milk frother. As far as we know, Hotel Chocolat was the first to use the term, but others, such as Asda (£25, Asda.com), have since produced competing items.
A velvetiser works by heating and whisking the milk and hot chocolate together at the same time to create a homogeneous, silky smooth beverage with a frothy top.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser: Organize
There isn’t much to say about this. It’s a simple plug-and-play job. We double-checked the accompanying directions but didn’t require them in the end.
Simply unwrap the velvetiser before placing it on its base, snapping the centre whisk into position, popping on the cover, plugging it in, and you’re ready to go. You’ll want to give your machine an initial clean before using it for the first time, so we’ll look at that very exciting job next.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser: Maintenance and learning
The velvetiser isn’t dishwashing safe, which always, always breaks our hearts. The good news is that it’s actually incredibly simple to clean. In reality, the instructions say to add a splodge of dishwashing liquid and water and turn it on. The velvetiser does its work and cleans itself with little to no effort from you.
What is the best way to use the velvetiser?
This is actually quite straightforward. To prepare a hot chocolate in a velvetiser, simply add 100ml of milk (there’s a fill line on the inside that about covers the whisk), then one serving of hot chocolate powder or flakes, and turn it on. The small black button on the base, under the handle, is used to operate it.
One of Willy Wonka’s worth of hot chocolate takes about two and a half minutes to make. This is great for couples or households where hot chocolate is a once-in-a-while indulgence.
Is it okay to use regular hot chocolate?
Despite the fact that the Hotel Chocolat flakes were expressly developed for the machine and produced rich-tasting results when we tested them, you may use any hot chocolate in the velvetiser.
Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser: How about a coffee?
Although Hotel Chocolat states that regular coffee cannot be used in the velvetiser, we tested whisking up simple milk and it worked perfectly. So, if you make an espresso and pour it over warm, frothed milk, you’ll have a fairly swish barista-style coffee without leaving the house.
Hotel Chocolat also sells latte powder packs, which can be used similarly to hot chocolate. If you’re a caffeine junkie, they could be a fantastic buy.
Hotel Chocolat velvetiser is the winner
Honestly? We loved the hot chocolate that resulted from the velvetiser. It was rich and foamy, and it felt opulent. The nicest part could have been that it was an even mixture throughout, with no sticky powder parts at the bottom, as is typical. You definitely take things up a notch from your regular milk and powder concoction.
However, at nearly £100, this is a rather pricey way to obtain a sugar high, and there were a handful of little flaws, such as it only feeding one person and the handle making it slightly hard to store, that we felt significantly tarnished the shine.
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