| Product: |
Kenco Cappuccino |
| Date: |
12.06.06 (245 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: lovely chocolate treat, refreshing, addictive
Disadvantages: not much of a cappuccino
Many people loathe instant coffee or instant cappuccino – and I have to admit that until fairly recently, the only instant caffeine shot that appealed to me was Nescafe’s unsweetened cappuccino. I tried so many other cappuccino’s – from Kenco (regular), to Maxwell to Sainsbury’s. To my bitter disappointment, all of these tated pretty dreadful.
I had heard about Kenco producing a cappuccino with lovely Toblerone pieces. On a recent visit to Sainsbury’s, I had a look for this treat. Much to my disappointed, it was sold out. However, I spotted a version that promised me cappuccino with mini pieces of Milka chocolate. That sounded like an indulgence well worth a try!
***The product***
Kenco Cappio Specials Cappucino with Milka comes in a beige and purple box and contains 8 pouches with 22g of product each. The individual pouches are very simple to open – you can either tear it open at the tear line or use a pair of scissors. It is advisable to shake the pouch a little before opening it so that the powder moves to the bottom – otherwise some of the precious powder might get lost in the opening process.
The powder looks more like a substance to make hot chocolate with than an instant cappuccino, it is very fine, light brown – and smells delightfully of chocolate. The amount of mini pieces of Milka alpine milk chocolate varies from pouch to pouch. Often they are difficult to spot – other times you will see a larger lump of chocolate in the powder mixture.
To prepare a cup of coffee. You empty one puck of the powder into a mug, our on 200 ml of hot water, stir quickly – and then enjoy once the powder has dissolved.
***My opinion***
The first time I tried this cappuccino, I closely adhered to the above instructions, merely adding one tea spoon of extra sugar. I did not expect too much from the product – as I had been so bitterly disappointed by instant cappuccino in the past. I was therefore not too surprised when there was a distinct absence of froth in my mug. Normally this would mean that the product has failed the “perfect cappuccino test”, but as I brought the cup to my lips, my taste buds jumped a little and overruled the verdict of my eyes.
What met my tongue and trickled down my throat was not exactly cappuccino as I knew it. There was no froth to it – but there was also a distinct absence of coffee taste. Normally, instant coffee tastes slightly bitter, unless the bitterness is counteracted by a few spoons of sugar. Instead, I felt like I was drinking a cup of relatively pleasant hot chocolate. Slightly watery in nature, but still quite pleasant.
An examination of the ingredients of this instant cappuccino explains that my taste buds were far from tricked – cocoa powder, milk chocolate and hazelnut paste indeed take up a higher percentage of the concoction that the mere 5.5% of coffee do. As a result, the drink does not leave any bad coffee aftertaste (or breath) behind.
While the product did fail on the cappuccino front, I was reasonably happy with it as a hit drink. However, a solution had to be found to the watery texture of my new discovery. The next time I had the cappuccino, I only filled about ¼ of my cup with boiling hot water, then I added a shot of cold milk, and filled the rest of the cup with water. I instantly found that the mixture was thickening – and as I tasted the drink this time, it felt like I was drinking luke warm chocolate milk. Perhaps this sounds a little vile – but in fact, it is very pleasant in this weather. By adding the milk, you reach a consistency that hovers somewhere between an ordinary hot chocolate produced with milk and a thick Italian hot chocolate. The chocolate taste is not too rich and not too sweet – it is a smooth, nutty flavour that just gives you enough of a chocolate hit without overpowering the senses.
Some of the chocolate pieces melt and drift to the bottom of the cup – and gourmet that I am, I do not let a single bit of chocolate go to waste. I tend to scoop the melted chocolate up with my finger, which certainly makes a perfect ending to the treat.
***Tips***
There are many ways to enjoy this Cappuccino. Kenco in fact recommends to use a cappuccino frother to add frothiness to the drink – and they also recommend replacing hot milk for hot water. I have never replaced the entire 200 ml of water for hot milk, but seeing how much difference a small shot of milk makes to the texture and enjoyment of the experience – I would certainly recommend giving it a go. It may become more of an Italian hot chocolate after all.
***The verdict***
I am more than impressed with this treat. While I cannot recommend it as a cappuccino (as it simply does not meet the cappuccino characteristics), I certainly can recommend it to chocolate lovers. These days, I prefer this as a treat on the weekend to the unsweetened Nescafe Cappuccino that I had previously been so loyal to. Just one word of warning – it is highly addictive. It is difficult to resist the urge to have a second cup in the afternoon.
***Further information***
Price: £1.99 for 8 sachets (at Sainsbury’s).
***Author's note***
Please note that I proposed this category as Kenco Cappuccino (Milka), but Dooyoo decided to put it up as a general "Kenco Cappuccino" category. The picture is therefore incorrect.
Summary: Simply the best instant coffee drink around.
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