Hotel Chocolat’s new hot and cold Velvetiser (Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
If you love a hot chocolate but feel summer is not the best time for it, firstly, you are wrong, and secondly, Hotel Chocolat may have the answer for you. Following the success of their must-loved Velevtiser, the chocolatiers have launched a new version that also velvetises a cold brew chocolate.
The new Velvetiser promises to be the “complete system for hot and cold barista-grade drinking chocolate, at the turn of a dial”. The thermodynamic programming calibrates hot and cold drinking chocolate, and the “InnerPod ridges” and custom-designed whisk create a vortex-effect for an “unrivalled, high-density chocolate crema”. So we know they can do hot chocolate, can they do cold chocolate?
READ MORE: Chocolate mousse will be richer if you ditch eggs for a creamy ingredient
READ MORE: Homemade chocolate cake will be ‘soft and moist’ if you add 1 unusual ingredient
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Hotel Chocolat’s new Velvetiser does both hot and cold chocolate (Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
While it is is not available till September, Hotel Chocolat sent me one of the new Velvetisers to test. From September it will be available in three colourways – pebble, pewter and chalk – and you can pre-order now.
Included for a price of £149.95, you will receive the Velvetiser, a curated drinking chocolate selection box, Podcup™ and Podglass™. And I am told Hotel Chocolat VIP.ME members will be the first to hear more.
Firstly, it is sleek, inspired by the shape of a cacao pod. Simple and effective, the design is beautiful for a kitchen gadget, with a woodgrain effect handle and black lid, this could sit on any counter and look impressive.
While the cord is quite short, it is compact, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space, an important requirement for a busy kitchen.
The new Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser is available in three colours (Image: Hotel Chocolat)
The vortext whisk is magnetised, so it simply slots into place, and there is only one dial, so this is easy to use. Simply fill it with milk up to the “max” line on the whisk, add a chocolate sachet and turn it on – and there, within three minutes, a perfect hot chocolate.
And the same goes for the cold brews. There is perhaps just one requirement to make them perfect for summer – ensure your milk of choice is properly chilled.
There are six cold brew flavours to choose from; cherry, crème brûlée, banana, mandarin and orange, mint, and the classic chocolate.
Hotel Chocolat said they have been “finely milled real chocolate crafted with ingredients that shine when served cold, melding seamlessly with pre-chilled milk”. And they are finer than the hot brew sachets.
You get a selection of hot and cold brew flavours (Image: Hotel Chocolat)
After adding chilled milk to the Velvetiser, simply add the cold brew flavour of choice and turn the dial to the blue dot. In under three minutes, you have a cold-brewed chocolate – and these are indulgent.
Like a posh milkshake, the flavours really do hit you. The banana was my favourite as I thought it paired so well with the deep chocolate flavours.
I was concerned it might have been grainy, because there is no heat melting the milled chocolate – but it isn’t at all, it is the same smooth taste we expect from the hot chocolate range.
While I can see why some may see this as a bit of a gimmick, I enjoyed drinking my cold brew with the sun streaming through the window, fan gently blowing my hair and some smooth jazz in the background (Joshua Redman, if you are wondering). And it was wonderful – a sophisticated cold brew chocolate, perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.
I guess the only issue is you can only make one at a time, but it is quick to use and easy to clean to get going again, so it isn’t too much of a bother.
