16 December 2011

Black Forest Hot Chocolate (Costa) [By @cinabar]


This new hot chocolate forms part of the Christmas drinks range at Costa. Christmas shopping can take it out of you and for the sake of refreshment we decided to stop at Costa and sample their seasonal goodies.
I love Black Forest Gateaux, although it is something I have always felt was a bit retro, given its popularity in the eighties. I have never grown out of the stuff, and am pleased to see it’s having a bit of a revival at the minute. I’ve seen it on the menu at Fortnum & Masons and several other posh cafes, and I have been enjoying its come back.
Although the gateaux itself wasn't available in Costa their new hot chocolate is named after it and contains luscious amounts of cherry sauce and chocolate. The drink in the picture is the version without cream, but if you want to go the full hog and recreate the cake properly they will gladly laden your mug with cream to finish too.
I actually like fruity flavoured hot chocolates, but they aren’t that common as I think they need a special kind of sweet tooth (rather like mine). I felt the flavour of this drink was perfect and full on, and was everything I hoped for. The hot milky chocolate was soothing and rich, but the cherry syrup just added a nice bit of tartness and a fruity burst to break it all up. The cherry and chocolate flavours worked rather well together, and produced a fabulous hot chocolate that was indeed reminiscent of black forest gateaux. Personally I loved the stuff, and felt it was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up for the tired shopper. Now if they served it along with a slice of the cake it’s named after, now that would be heaven!
By Cinabar

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

First of all im addicted to Costa's Black Forest Hot Chocolate its amazing, secondly i would like to correct you on the syrup that is used in it, it is not Monin's Cherry Syrup but actually Monins Blackberry Syrup...
Contacted Costa's as ive purchased a bottle of it from the internet...

cinabar said...

Blackberry??? That's shocking! That means its not proper black forest... :-/

Anonymous said...

It's true, the syrup they use is called 'Mure' which is French for blackberry. I'm not sure what cherry sauce they use (and I tried multiple times to get a glimpse at the squeezy bottle) but if anyone knows then please post.

I don't think it matters that the syrups they use aren't that what would normally be included in a Black Forest Gateaux, the important factor is that it tastes like it.

cinabar said...

True, it certainly works when it is all put together.

Anonymous said...

If you go on coffee creations web site it is listed as blackberry

Anonymous said...

Hi there, I love this hot chocolate too. I managed to have a peek at the sauce bottle and it's a Costa own brand made my Fuerst Day Lawson ( FDL). I've been on the website but I haven't spent enough time looking around. I'm sure there is a way to buy it :) I hope this helps.

cinabar said...

I had another of these today - and a Costa mince pie ultimate Christmas treat. Going to be so sad when they disappear in the new year.

Anonymous said...

Today I also saw the fdl cherry sauce bottle but as yet not discovered where to buy it, this is a perfect hot choc, no good for my January diet!

cinabar said...

Ahh.... its not on the menu any more :-( Something else I have to wait another year for.

Anonymous said...

I have emailed them about the sauces will let you know if I vet a response . Sam

Anonymous said...

Oh and also monin do an actual blackforest syrup as well as blackberry and cherry!!!

cinabar said...

Wow - so why would Costa use a different syrup?

Anonymous said...

I think the syrup is black cherry! The one that goes into bottom of cup

cinabar said...

Today I asked in my local Costa. They said that it WAS blackberry syrup in the hot chocolate, but cherry sauce on top of the cream. The lady I spoke to said they knew Monin made a black forest sauce, but taste tests had shown the blackberry was more popular - although she couldn't tell the difference between them herself!

Anonymous said...

I am a fan... Love it..I looked at FDL website.. it seems that they don't sell for individuals but retailers.. I carried on with my search and found Dr Pepper Cherry dessert topper 340g from candyhero.com website.. Total cost +delivery £7.15.. a bargain!
I ordered a bottle and I will give it a try with Monin blackberry syrup. Merry Xmas and happy new year.

cinabar said...

Can I just add - its back for 2014!!! :-) Yum!

Filipe Rodrigues said...

Actually, you should have both. The blackberry syrup and cherry sauce on top ;)

Anonymous said...

Actually, its a Blackberry AND Cherry syrup. I worked for Costa. And then the syrup on top is actually Monin Cherry Sauce. Comes in a squeezy bottle. :)

Anonymous said...

This year it is the blackberry and cherry, but it used to be blackberry syrup.