Cadbury Hot Chocolate Drink 3 in 1

Brand: Cadbury

Name: Hot Chocolate Drink 3 in 1

Tagline: Cadbury Hot Chocolate Drink 3 in 1 with Real Cadbury Hot Chocolate Taste (their capitalisation. Not mine)

Origin: Malaysia

Servings: 15

Weight: 15 x 30g sachet = 450g

Price: RM15

Availability: Major supermarkets

Ingredients: Sugar, creamer, cocoa powder, stabilizer (E466), salt and flavours. Contain traces of milk

Nutritional information: Calories 40kcal; Total fat 4g; Protein 2g; Total carbohydrate 22g (Sugars 20g); Sodium 55mg; Calcium 39mg

Instructions: Add hot water to make 1 cup (200ml).

Review:

• Taste: I followed the instructions and mixed the hot chocolate with water and it was not pleasant. The hot chocolate mix tasted like sweet hot water with a very slight hint of artificially-tasting cocoa. Not something you want from a hot chocolate mix. I then tried mixing it with milk and it tasted completely different. It was actually decent as the milk cut through the sweetness and allowed the cocoa, albeit still artficial, taste to emerge. Minus marks though for not suggesting milk in the instructions. 5.5/10



• Smoothness: Oh, this thing is smooth, alright. Even better than Godiva (gasp!). It's also quite foamy, which is always a good thing with hot chocolate. 4.5/5


• Meltiness: Easy to dissolve and doesn't leave any residue at the bottom of the cup. I suppose that's why it's convenient. However, points are deducted for the slightly confusing instructions - do you add liquid to the mix to make 200ml or do you add 200ml of liquid to the mix? (I chose the latter) 3.5/5
  


• Thickness: Watery-thin, even though only 200ml of liquid is used. Doesn't have that creaminess to it when mixed with water. Remember, it did suggest water. 2.5/5
  


• Worthiness: Price-wise, it is of course nothing short of affordable but it will not be so
  cheap when you have to make it with milk. 3/5


• Others: Convenience is always a plus point but not providing clear instructions is counter-productive. 2.5/5
  

Final score: 61.4%

In a nutshell: A decent sweet hot chocolate but only when made with milk. With this hot chocolate mix, you are substituting taste for convenience.

Godiva Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

Brand: Godiva Chocolatier

Name: Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

Tagline: Luxuriously rich hot cocoa

Origin: USA

Servings: 12

Weight: 13.1oz/372g

Price: RM103

Availability: Godiva, KLCC

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali), milk chocolate (sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, skim milk, butter (milk product), bittersweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, anhydrous dextrose), emulsifier (soybeans products lecithin), natural flavour and flavouring (vanilla). Cointains milk and soybeans products.

Nutritional information: Calories 130kcal; Fat 2.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5mg; Carbohydrate 25g (Sugars 22g); Protein 1g

Instructions:

Best prepared with milk.

STOVETOP:
Bring 1 cup (8oz) of milk to a simmer, making sure not to boil. Pour milk into a cup or mug and stir 3 tablespoons of hot cocoa mix.

MICROWAVE:
Pour 1 cup (8oz) of milk into a microwave-safe cup or mug. Heat on high for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until hot, making sure not to boil. Add 3 tablespoons of hot cocoa mix and stir.

Review: I have to make it clear, this hot cocoa costs RM103! Okay, got that out of my system. With the power of internet (*ehem* amazon *ehem*), you'll discover that it only costs USD15 (about RM47) and you start thinking of importing it yourself and selling it right in front of the Godiva boutique. But no matter, we're trying to be objective here, aren't we?

• Taste: As with all milk chocolates, it is on the sweeter side of the scale and bordering cloying but still pleasant. I don't detect any bitter after-tastes (which might be good or bad), or any other after-tastes for that matter. A bit less sugar would have been good, though. 7/10
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Smoothness: The hot cocoa mix is in powder form with white specks (skim milk). It does seem a bit gritty once dissolved and has a slight powdery texture. 3/5
  
  
  


• Meltiness: The powder dissolves easily once mixed with hot milk and thankfully, the grittiness mentioned above is purely appearance-wise. There are some cocoa powder remnants at the bottom of the mug though but not much wastage. 4.5/5
  
  
  


• Thickness: The hot cocoa has a watery-thin texture when poured but the creaminess, oh my! Definitely a schizo hot cocoa. The creaminess is probably due to the butter in the ingredients' list (yes, butter!). Everybody together now, butter is gooooood...4/5
  
  
  


• Worthiness: Honestly, I find it hard to be objective 'cause I can't help but think 'this has got to taste phenomenal or else' just because of the price tag. It does taste pleasant but is it worth RM103? Unfortunately, no. USD15 (about RM47) is definitely more palatable. 1/5
  


• Others: Is exclusivity a problem? What about horrible mark-ups? Yes to both, but it's unfair to penalise this mix twice (refer above). Packaging is standard and it has not made any outrageous claims. It has, however, provided clear instructions so it deserves at least a light pat on the back. 3.5/5
  

Final score: 65.7% (low score due to absurd price)


In a nutshell: One of the better-testing sweet hot cocoa on the market but only worth it if you're paying the American price.