Hot Chocolate

Elements For Life - Hot Chocolate

Are we all still desperately trying to cling to our New Year’s resolutions to go dry/ give up meat/ drag out the spandex and work each of our muscle groups, and supposedly therefore be a better person? Well, here at The Amazing Blog we may be able to offer you a glimmer of indulgence to ease up some of those more draconian ways to detox, all in the form of a chocolate … We know, chocolate is the root of many a slip up in the new regime schedule. However, there is a tin of gloriously burnished powder which should have a polished halo perched above its silver lid to signify its credentials. We are talking about one of our #amazingfinds Elements For Life – see our recent posts on their other products here.

Yes, we may be talking hot chocolate, but Elements For Life have created one is richly smooth, and sweet. This hot chocolate doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners, GMOs or soya, the sweetness is derived from the sugar from coconut blossom, the evaporated nectar of the coconut tree, adding sustainability and diabetically friendly to the worthiness (because of its very low average glycemic index) As if that wasn’t enough, the Elements For Life team have made it suitable for those who may be lactose intolerant, and vegan by keeping this wonder-drink completely dairy-free and containing no milk solids.

We tried the Original and Spiced versions. The Spiced is warmed up by the addition of the winter spices cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. All we need now is the toasty log cabin with open fire and we have nirvana. However, we aren’t tied to the usual hot chocolate with this blend, as there is also the option of adding some ice and blitzing away to produce a very refreshing tipple. The benefits of raw chocolate, in both health and taste have been known for a while - it stands to reason that a natural product which hasn’t been put through the usual manufacturing processes will inevitably retain more of it’s core nutrients, and therefore with many of us now having to take a serious look at the minutiae of what we eat, a raw chocolate such as this makes clear sense.

And to keep that halo gleaming brightly, the whole team behind the Raw Hot Chocolate brand are keen to show they believe the sustainability of a product in this day and age has to address the issues beyond the contents of our mug. All ingredients used in their range are sourced for their high ecological standards and are agro-chemical/pesticide free from small-scale growers and farming co-operatives to ensure fair trading. The packaging is also made from recycled material or re-used from other sources, including their boxes and printed material. Small wonder then that with such highly prized credentials, Elements For Life have walked away with award upon award for what they offer us in this market place - and most specifically these two tins of delicious warmth! Priced at £6.99 for 175g all available from their online shop here they also offer refills priced at £4.99. And now, back to that log cabin and open fire to keep warm!

Christmas at ZSL London (London Zoo)

Even though we’re nudging into December, some of us need a helping hand to get into the festive spirit. Don’t tell anyone but there still are a few ‘Bah Humbugs’ amongst us at The Amazing Blog. When we heard about Christmas at ZSL London we decided it would be a perfect chance to encourage some ‘festive cheer’!

At Christmas at London Zoo there’s something for everyone to enjoy. With spectacles such as the iconic penguin pool dance, the illuminated trail, a vintage carousel and a number of hidden surprises, getting into the festive spirit is almost a given. While the animals are tucked up in bed, you can also hop aboard their special train, where you’ll experience both fantasy and fairy-tale; soaking up mesmerizing voices of Singing trees and playful projections of Magic Mountains.

This is the first ever Christmas event at London Zoo, and is being launched in partnership with Raymond Gubbay Limited. The site has been designed by Culture Creative - so expect the unexpected, with sky high animal sculptures encircling the 36 acre zoo site! Cleverly they make sure you circumnavigate the animals so you don’t disturb the habitat of the nocturnal animals; although you might catch a fleeting glimpse on your train ride.

Of course the evening would be incomplete without indulging in a glass of mulled wine or hot chocolate. You will find these in the Zoo’s Christmas village, alongside a plethora of other festive treats such as toasted marshmallows and roasted chestnuts. You can also start your Christmas shopping at ZSL gift shop. For full details visit the gift shop website here.

Don’t miss this magical illuminated trail - it opens from Thursday 22nd of November until Monday, 1st of January 2019. Tickets are available here from £16.50.

Gourmet Hot Chocolate and Signature Thins by Paxton Chocolates

All of us at The Amazing Blog are self-proclaimed chocoholics, so it's a real treat when we get to review some indulgent and delicious chocolate for you. This week we were lucky enough to review a brand we've previously featured, Paxton Chocolate. All of their chocolates are handmade in Brighton, and they source the chocolate couverture from a company in Belgium that has been producing the finest chocolate for over 100 years from sustainably grown cocoa beans. This week we tried Paxton's Gourmet Hot Chocolate and their Signature Thins

The Gourmet Hot Chocolate was decadent and luxurious. Available in five distinctly delicious flavours, we tried the Hazelnut and Pistachio and Earl Grey and Orange flavours. These were rich and decadent drinks which are the perfect accompaniment for a cosy evening in. We can think of nothing better than curling up with a warming mug of the Gourmet Hot Chocolate, putting on a face mask and watching our favourite film! If you’re feeling really cheeky, we found adding a splash of amaretto to the Hazelnut and Pistachio Hot Chocolate was a great way to jazz up the drink and our evening.

The Signature Thins were both delicious and beautiful. Looking at them left us feeling conflicted, we didn’t want to ruin how stunning they were, but they were just too tempting. The box contains six tantalising flavours: White Chocolate Raspberry and Rose, Milk Chocolate Orange and Earl Grey Tea, Milk Chocolate Chestnut and Vanilla, Dark Chocolate and Candied Chilli and our personal favourite, Dark Chocolate and Lavender. Despite the fact that you won’t want to share these with anyone, we think they would make a great gift.

You can purchase the Gourmet Hot Chocolates here for £8.50 and the Signature Thins here for £25.00

Kokoa Collection - Hot Chocolate

We here at The Amazing Blog are looking forward to warmer weather. However, as spring hasn't quite yet sprung, we're still happy for the excuse to warm up by indulging in a cup of hot chocolate. That’s why you’ll see us sipping on gourmet hot chocolate from Kokoa Collection, as it provides us with a one of a kind hot chocolate experience.

Once you've given this fabulous luxury drink a try, your old instant hot chocolate powders will be heading straight for the bin. The delicious tablets are perfect for melting into a cup of hot milk, making a silky, creamy drink that will have your mouth watering. Whatever your chocolate of choice, Kokoa makes five different hot chocolate flavours inspired by five different areas of the world. Each product represents the unique characteristics from every country’s original cocoa plant variety. My favourite, the White Hot Chocolate, hails from the Ivory Coast and brings a sweet, creamy and wonderfully indulgent taste to the table. If you're looking for something a little more bitter, the 82% Extra Dark Cocoa blend from Madagascar is a strong, rich blend that gives more of a kick. Whatever your ideal flavour, there's definitely something for you to sip on.

Do your taste buds a favour and pick up your own packet of Kokoa Hot Chocolate here for £4.99 each and enjoy every sip of your indulgent treat.

The Mortimer Chocolate Company

Here, at The Amazing Blog, we're self-confessed chocolate lovers who, more often that not, enjoy a daily chocolate treat. Two of my colleagues however, have somewhat bravely given chocolate for lent, so when Mortimer's Pure Dark Chocolate Powder arrived recently, there was all the more for the rest of us! And with hot chocolate being perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up, I was more than happy to try it out. Unlike a number of hot chocolate drinks on the market that are laden with flavourings, sweeteners and additives, Mortimer Chocolate Powder is simply that - pure dark chocolate powder.

My favourite flavour is the West African, a blend of cocoa liquors from Foresterotype cocoas from Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, containing 100% chocolate with 70% of cocoa solids. The Mortimer Chocolate Company imports cocoa en mass from factories in Africa and South America, and then they make it into chocolate to their own recipes in the UK. Having a cup of Mortimer's hot chocolate on a cold spring day like today is the perfect antidote to a stressful day in the office. It's also very easy to prepare, just heat some milk, add 4 heaped teaspoons of the chocolate powder in each mug and enjoy! As I’m Spanish, I would accompany this with some delicious “churros”, but I'll have to wait til I get back to Spain!

And I guess I’m not the only one that loves this flavour, because the West African chocolate has been voted as the Nation’s Favourite Hot Chocolate by the Chocolate Festival.  Available in Waitrose stores and also online.

All Mortimer Chocolate products are gluten and soya-free, they don’t use lecithin and they don’t contain nuts. And if you want to find your inner domestic goddess, why don’t you check out their website for their mouth-watering chocolate brownies recipe? Having been sent a batch ourselves I can confirm they were devoured in a matter of minutes and were simply delicious!