A Warm Chocolatey Hug in a Mug (Galaxy Instant)

Member Name: kitschkitty

Product:	Galaxy Instant
Date:	26/10/08 (163 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes chocolatey and creamy

Disadvantages: Not enough in the jar! Might be too sweet for some.

Now the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder, I occsasionally swap my beloved black coffee for a mug of hot chocolate. Being stingy as I am, when I spotted Galaxy instant hot chocolate for 99p in Home and Bargains, I couldn't resist the bargain. I was also lured in that I love Galaxy chocolate itself, which far surpasses Cadbury's in my opinion.

The hot chocolate comes in a plastic tub and added to my 99p bargain is 33% extra free. Inside it looks powdery and pretty much the same as most hot chocolates I've ever tried. It's slightly paler in colour than Options and the low fat options I've sampled bit it still looks appealing enough. Sniffing it is not recommended. There's a slight chocolatey aroma but mostly you'll get a tickly nose.

The directions are simple. Just add 4 heaped teaspoons to a mug, pour on hot water and stir. You can also add cold water and microwave for 1-2 minutes. I'm not really one to follow instructions though so I have my own method. I use a small amount of milk and mix the prescribed 4 teaspoons to a paste. I top up with boiling water, constantly stirring and usually add a touch more milk just for good luck. In an ideal world, this would then be topped with squirty cream and served with mini marshmallows. Alas, I don't have these so I'm just drinking it as it is.

The hot chocolate does look very creamy (yes I know I added milk but it was on semi skimmed). There's also a nice frothy chocolatey foam on top. Since I add some milk, there's also the added version of it being perfect drinking temperature without having to wait for it to cool down.

To taste, the Galaxy hot chocolate is very creamy, chocolatey and sweet. I have a very sweet tooth and it's perfect for me so others may find it a little too sweet. Despite the watery consistency, it does taste rich and velvety which is the sort of consistency I would expect from Galaxy. Unfortunately, the flavour doesn't closely resemble actual Galaxy chocolate but it's still a very tasty mug of hot chocolate. I'll be adding the squirty cream and marshmallows to the next shopping list just to complete my future Galaxy hot chocolate experiences.

'Tis the season for hot chocolate and I actually had a Cadbury's hot chocolate in work a couple of weeks ago. I do think I prefer the Galaxy version though. It's creamier and tastier though the chocolate flavour perhaps isn't as strong as the Cadbury version. Also, using my method, there's no pasty lumpiness left at the bottom of the mug which is an added bonus.

On the downside, I've only had 2 mugs of hot chocolate using the recommended 4 heaped teaspoons and the tub is now only 2 thirds full. I was going to say 1 third empty but I'm trying to remain optimistic despite the fact that it will probably be empty very soon. Still, for 99p for the jar, it works out far cheaper than buying individual samples or, heaven forbid, forking out a small fortune at a café. And it makes a tasty treat when the nights are cold and you just need something comforting to chase away the winter blues.

Summary: A Warm Chocolatey Hug in a Mug