We're in the thick of winter snowstorms here in New England. Since I have a
bad back, my husband does the snow shoveling. I always greet him upon his
return with a steaming cup of hot cocoa to warm him up and show my
appreciation.
Since we both stopped eating sugar a few years ago (and feel so much better as
a result), now I make sugar-free hot chocolate. If it's the weekend, I usually
prepare my Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate recipe, which is rich and decadent and
has pretty much spoiled commercial hot cocoa mixes for us, but takes a bit
more time and effort than using an instant hot cocoa mix.
However, when sugar-free
ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs
launched a few months ago, I was anxious to try them. Fortunately, they did
not disappoint!
Now, if I want to make delicious hot cocoa with mini marshmallows quickly and
easily, I just heat some almond or macadamia milk, drop in a ChocZero hot
cocoa bomb, and stir until dissolved. Here's my product review of this
outstanding low-carb treat.
So, even though I have been somewhat disappointed in the low-carb, sugar-free
hot cocoa mixes I have tried, I knew ChocZero's sugar-free hot cocoa bombs
would be worth a try.
The first thing you notice when you receive your order of ChocZero Hot Cocoa
Bombs is the fabulous packaging.
The clear plastic box is printed with the ChocZero brand, product name,
product image, and other pertinent information.
Because the outer box is clear, you can see through to the inside, where each
hot cocoa bomb is snugly wrapped in festive bright gold foil that makes it
look extra special.
There are four hot cocoa bombs per box. Inside the outer box, there is a
protective molded plastic shell with four spherical depressions that cradle
the foil-wrapped chocolate spheres and prevent them from being broken or
otherwise harmed during transit.
The first two boxes I ordered were a gift for my husband since he loves hot
chocolate so much.
However, the ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs are the first low-carb, sugar-free hot
cocoa "mix" we've tried that we really enjoy.
They are also quicker and easier to prepare than my from-scratch recipe when
we're looking for instant gratification.
And unwrapping each gold foil-wrapped ball really does add something special
to the experience of making hot cocoa!
Rich Chocolate Taste and Luscious Mouthfeel
Like my ultimate keto hot chocolate recipe, the
ChocZero Hot Cocoa Bombs
include both cocoa powder and chocolate.
The chocolate shell creates a richer chocolate taste and a more luscious
mouthfeel than the hot cocoa mix inside alone.
The chocolate shell also contains not only the sugar-free hot cocoa mix but
also sugar-free mini marshmallows, which my husband and I both love in our hot cocoa.
Unlike most sugar-free hot cocoa mixes we've tried, we don't need to add anything to make this taste better, although we often enjoy adding a splash of one of ChocZero's flavoring syrups.
How I Use ChocZero Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Bombs
We start by unwrapping each hot cocoa bomb and placing it in a large mug.
Next, we heat the milk. Although you can use any kind of milk you prefer, we
prefer to use either unsweetened vanilla almond milk or unsweetened vanilla
macadamia milk to make our hot cocoa, since they are lower in natural sugar
and carbs than dairy milk. We sometimes add a splash of heavy cream for added
richness.
It's important to heat the milk very hot before pouring it over the hot cocoa
bomb, and it takes a bit of stirring to completely melt the outer milk
chocolate shell and dissolve the cocoa mix.
My husband and I love the flavor combination of chocolate and peppermint, so
we usually add a splash of the awesome
ChocZero Sugar-Free Peppermint Syrup
into our prepared hot cocoa.
We also enjoy our cocoa with a splash of other ChocZero flavoring syrups, especially caramel or hazelnut. They're fabulous and don't have the unpleasant
aftertaste or questionable sweeteners used in other brands of sugar-free syrups.
This flavored hot cocoa makes such a satisfying, sweet, low-carb treat that we often enjoy it for
dessert.
What's Next?
I noticed the packaging includes the descriptor "Milk," so I'm hoping that
ChocZero will be adding dark chocolate hot cocoa bombs in the future.
One of the things I love about this brand is that they are always improving
their products and adding new ones based on customer feedback.
So, ChocZero, if you're reading this, I hope
you'll consider making dark chocolate hot cocoa bombs next! 💓🍫
The Best Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Bombs — An Outstanding Low-Carb Treat by Margaret Schindel
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Today, I'm delighted to share my review of my luscious new hot chocolate
recipe, just in time for Christmas and other winter holiday celebrations and
the long, chilly weather during the months that follow them.
Once you taste this decadent cold-weather treat, you'll never want to settle
for ordinary hot cocoa again! It's so rich, thick, intensely chocolaty, and
indulgent, no one who tastes it will ever guess—or even believe—that this
fabulous beverage is also sugar-free and very low in carbohydrates. That means
you can enjoy it with your family and friends, even if some of are following a
low carb or ketogenic diet.
My carb-loving husband and I, both serious hot chocolate snobs, agree that
it's The Ultimate Hot Chocolate Recipe, keto or not!
Gourmet Hot Chocolate Any Chocolate Connoisseur Will Love (Just Don't Tell
Them It's Keto!)
'Tis the season for hot chocolate! During Christmas and other winter holidays,
and straight through the cold weather months, hot cocoa a welcome indulgence,
warming us from the inside out after we come in from the cold (and especially
after we've been playing outside in the snow...or shoveling it!).
Unfortunately, for those of us who follow a low carb or ketogenic diet, most
keto recipes for low carb hot chocolate just aren't all that tasty or
satisfying.
After trying and being disappointed by five or six different keto recipes for
hot cocoa and a couple of low carb hot chocolate mixes, I finally realized the
only way to find a keto hot chocolate recipe that would live up to my very
high expectations standards would be to develop one myself.
It took a lot of experimentation, but the final result definitely has
been worth all the time and effort I invested into the process. In fact, this
is the closest thing I've ever sipped to the gold-standard
chocolat chaudL'Africain at the world-famous
Angelina café in the Rue de Rivoli in Paris (where I had the good fortunate to enjoy a
cup once, many years ago).
That's why I'm confident that my recipe truly is worthy of the title, The
Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe. In fact, second only to Angelina's iconic
L'Africain, I think this may well be The Ultimate Hot Chocolate Recipe,
period.
As my fellow Review This Reviews contributor Wednesday Elf explained in her
recent review of National Cocoa Day (which is just five days away, on December 13), although both terms for
this beloved beverage are often used interchangeably, the main difference is
whether they are made with real chocolate (often ground) or with cocoa
powder.
As I experimented with different combinations and proportions of ingredients
for my recipe, I found that mixing my favorite Dutched cocoa powder,
sugar-free chocolate chips, and Good Dee's Sipping Chocolate low carb hot
cocoa mix resulted in the perfect, intense, dark chocolate flavor I wanted.
Combining the cocoa and dark chocolate with macadamia milk (instead of the
more commonly used almond milk), heavy cream, and 1/8 teaspoon per serving of
xanthan gum, and then using a handheld immersion blender (aka stick blender)
to emulsify all the ingredients and thicken the mixture, worked
synergistically provided the rich, creamy taste and smooth, luxurious
consistency that other low carb hot chocolate recipes and mixes I had tried
lacked. Salt and pure vanilla extract to complement the dark chocolate flavor
that, together with the smoothness and creaminess rounded out the flavor
profile, smoothing out the intense, dark chocolate flavor with to create The
Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate.
Regular, Mint, and Salted Caramel Keto Hot Chocolate
Once I had perfected the recipe, I decided to take this challenge to the next
level, creating low carb versions of my husband's favorite hot cocoa flavors
that we could both could enjoy: keto mint hot chocolate and keto salted
caramel hot chocolate.
I hadn't thought this recipe could get any better, but I was mistaken. The
mint and salted caramel variations turned out to be even more delicious than
the original version!
Years ago, I developed a fabulous sugar, fat, and calorie-laden hot
chocolate recipe for my husband, and it spoiled us both for any other hot
cocoa. I never wrote down the recipe or measured the ingredients; it was
all in my head, and I just tasted and adjusted the amounts and proportions
as I went along each time I made it.
Unfortunately, after I made the decision for medical reasons to follow
a ketogenic diet, I stopped making my husband's favorite winter treat because I
could no longer taste and adjust the flavor during the process (because of
the sugar). And we both missed it a lot.
So, I challenged myself to come up with a new low carb hot chocolate
recipe that would taste as rich and decadent as my original recipe, and
could meet or exceed my husband's extremely high standards for his
favorite beverage.
I succeeded beyond either of our wildest dreams. Now, I'm sharing the
recipe so you and those you love can enjoy it, too, whether or not they
are watching their sugar or carbohydrate intake.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Total Time:
20 minutes
Recipe Yield:
Four servings (approximately 6 fluid ounces per serving)
3/8 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used fine Himalayan pink crystal salt, which
contains beneficial amounts of 84 trace elements and iron, and is
less processed than regular table salt)
Measure the dry ingredients (Good Dee's Sipping Chocolate, Ghirardelli
Majestic Premium unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated BochaSweet sugar
replacement, xanthan gum, and salt) into a small bowl. Mix well
(pressing out any lumps of cocoa) and set aside.
Pour the Milkadamia unsweetened vanilla macadamia milk into a 2-cup
Pyrex glass measuring cup and microwave for 60 seconds or until hot.
Remove from microwave.
Place the sugar-free chocolate chips and ghee or butter into a 4-cup
Pyrex glass measuring cup. Microwave on high for 45–60 seconds,
depending on how powerful your microwave is. Stir the mixture well to
melt as much of the chocolate as possible, then repeat, stirring until
the chocolate is completely melted.
Stir the hot macadamia milk into the melted chocolate mixture in the
4-cup Pyrex measuring cup until well incorporated. Then, microwave for
another 60 seconds.
Stir in the dry ingredients, and then use an immersion blender (without
any attachments) to blend the contents of the measuring cup. (I find it
helpful to glide the immersion blender slowly over the bottom of the cup
and tilt it slightly in different directions.)
Add the heavy cream, then blend with the immersion blender for 20–30
seconds, until the mixture thickens slightly.
Microwave on high for 30–60 seconds, or until very hot, and stir in the
vanilla extract.
Divide evenly among four small mugs or two large mugs. Top with optional
whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.
Keto Mint Hot Chocolate Recipe Variation
For the best peppermint or mint hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted:
Replace the vanilla extract with 3/8 to 1/2 teaspoon (to taste) of pure
peppermint extract or pure mint extract.
I highly recommend using either Watkins Pure Peppermint Extract or
Watkins Pure Mint Extract (which contains a blend of spearmint and peppermint oils). Either
one will let you enjoy the fresh, minty flavor of a traditional candy can
stirrer in your hot cocoa, but without all the sugar, corn syrup, and
artificial flavoring and food coloring.
Keto Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Recipe Variation
Transform this beverage into a keto salted caramel hot chocolate so
divine, it will make you close your eyes and purr with pleasure when you
take your first sip! Just make these simple tweaks to my original recipe:
This sumptuous hot chocolate is even better topped with a dollop of
lightly sweetened whipped cream. Here's how to make a delicious low carb
version.
At least 30–60 minutes before you plan to make this Ultimate Keto Hot
Chocolate Recipe, put some heavy whipping cream in a mixing bowl, stir
in a few drops of vanilla, mint, or peppermint extract, and sweeten to
taste with your favorite keto-friendly, natural, powdered sweetener
(confectioner's sugar replacement), such as powdered BochaSweet,
powdered monkfruit allulose blend sweetener, or powdered allulose. Place
the mixing bowl with the flavored cream in the refrigerator to chill,
along with a wire balloon whisk or the whisk attachment of your electric
mixer.
After making the hot chocolate recipe through step 6 (before you heat
the hot chocolate mixture for the last time and stir in the extract),
whip the cold, flavored, lightly sweetened cream in the chilled bowl
with the chilled whisk.
Finish preparing the hot chocolate recipe (steps 7 and 8), topping each
mug with a cloud of freshly whipped cream. Finish the whipped cream
topping with a light dusting of unsweetened cocoa, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Good Dee’s Sipping Chocolate is a key ingredient in this recipe! You can
order it, as well as the Good Dee’s Dark Chocolate Chips, either on
Amazon or on the Good Dee’s website. Consider adding some of the
delicious Good Dee’s keto cookie mix flavors I’ve reviewed previously to
your cart while you’re at it. After all, what’s better than cookies and
hot cocoa on a chilly day, especially around the holidays?
Note: If you don't get Amazon Prime free shipping, or the
Good Dee's products you want are out of stock on Amazon, or you'd prefer
to shop the full selection of Good Dee's products, you can save 15% off your total purchase price any time you
use my Good Dee's website affiliate shopping link and enter my unique discount coupon code GOODDEES15MRS during
checkout.
Using Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa makes a big difference in the
taste of this decadent hot chocolate. The more expensive
nib-alkalization process gives it a richer, smoother, better flavor.
Even though the generous 2-pound (32-ounce) canister looks as though it
would be a lifetime supply, I use this extraordinary cocoa powder so
often in this and other recipes, such as my luscious low carb keto
chocolate yogurt chip pudding parfait recipe (my favorite quick and easy
breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or snack when I’m in the mood for
something sweet), that I have to replenish my supply a few times a year.
If you are unable to get the Ghirardelli Majestic Premium
and need to substitute a different brand or formula, please make sure to
choose a high-quality,
unsweetened, alkalized or Dutch-processed cocoa
powder. Although your hot chocolate won't taste the same as my original
recipe, if you use a different brand of alkalized or Dutch-processed
(aka Dutched or "Dutch"), it should still be delicious!
Making this hot beverage in a large, flat-bottomed Pyrex glass 4-cup
measuring cup lets you can see what's at the bottom of the hot mixture,
so you know whether the chocolate chips have melted completely and, if
so, whether all the melted chocolate has been incorporated into the hot
macadamia milk and melted butter mixture.
Using an immersion blender on medium speed creates the perfect
consistency. If you don't own one, you can use a regular blender, and
use a slim silicone scraper to make sure you get all of your delicious
hot beverage out of the container. My decades-old stick blender was a
gift from someone who knew how much I enjoy cooking and baking, and that
model was discontinued long ago. However, if you're looking for a good
one, the powerful
Müeller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Stainless Steel
Immersion Blender
has more than 20,000 5-star ratings on Amazon.
Nutrition Facts
I entered this recipe and its variations into Carb Manager to help me
calculate and track the calories, macros, and other nutrition data, based
on the specific ingredients and brands I used. I usually drink one-quarter
of the recipe, while my husband prefers to indulge in a larger portion.
So, here are the nutrition facts for both the smaller, typical serving
size (6 fluid ounces) and a double-size serving (12 fluid ounces).
The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe (Original, Mint, or Peppermint)
Nutrition Facts
One quarter of this recipe (6 fluid ounce serving) contains 1 net carb,
136 calories, 4.7 grams of dietary fiber, 2.8 grams of protein, and 13
grams of fat.
Half the recipe (12 fluid ounce serving)contains 2 net carbs, 272
calories, 9.4 grams of dietary fiber, 5.7 grams of protein, and 26.1 grams
of fat.
The Ultimate Keto Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Recipe Nutrition
Facts
One quarter of this recipe (6 fluid ounce serving) contains 1 net carb,
136 calories, 4.7 grams of dietary fiber, 2.8 grams of protein, and 13
grams of fat.
Half the recipe (12 fluid ounce serving) contains 2 net carbs, 272
calories, 9.4 grams of dietary fiber, 5.7 grams of protein, and 26.1 grams
of fat.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
