Jacques Torres Wicked Hot Chocolate

I don’t claim to be an expert on the best hot chocolate mix, but cocoa is one of my favorite winter treats. I always seem to have at least two varieties on hand: one I can make with water, like Swiss Miss, and a “fancy” kind, like Ghirardelli, that I make at luxurious moments like when I realize I still have milk that hasn’t gone bad. But ever since I bought Jacques’ Torres Wicked Hot Chocolate ($18), these other brands have been shoved to the back of my cabinet.

Jacques Torres Wicked Hot Chocolate takes its flavor profile directly from Mexican hot chocolate. I think it’s mellower, and also has the convenience of coming in a tin, but it’s still made from real chocolate, with hints of chili pepper, cinnamon and allspice. Cornstarch adds a decadent, molten chocolate bar thickness. Instead of whipped cream as a topping I opted for a homemade marshmallow. And by “homemade” I mean I bought them from City Bakery ($10 for 10), but they’re still a million miles from supermarket marshmallows. These are sticky, moist, vanilla-flavored confections that make ordinary marshmallows seem as palatable in your hot chocolate as a scoop of gummi bears. The marshmallow gradually melts and forms a layer of rich foam. This is hot chocolate that makes you feel like you’re chilling in a ski chalet after a day of frolicking in the snow—even if you spent most of it in a cubicle.

If you have a favorite hot chocolate mix, let me know! I’m game for more research.

Jacques Torres Wicked Hot Chocolate is available at MrChocolate.com.
City Bakery holds a Hot Chocolate Festival every year throughout February. It’s listed on Timeout.com although I don’t see the 2013 schedule on TheCityBakery.com yet—perhaps they will update it soon.