The Good: Tastes great, Comparatively inexpensive
The Bad: Environmentally irresponsible packaging
The Basics: Delicious, though a little more expensive than most Swiss Miss products, Mocha Cappuccino is worth the extra price for fans of rich chocolate drinks!
Because I review so many hot chocolate products, it actually takes quite a bit these days to wow me with a new flavor of hot chocolate. And yet, despite that potentially daunting challenge, Swiss Miss has risen to the occasion again! Swiss Miss Indulgent Collection Mocha Cappuccino is an amazing hot chocolate beverage and it is very easy to recommend.
The Indulgent Collection of Swiss Miss hot chocolates seems to be Swiss Miss's excuse to charge more for hot cocoa as the boxes tend to contain two to four fewer packages of cocoa for the same price or about fifty cents more. In the case of Mocha Cappuccino, it is well worth it, though I would still prefer a more environmentally responsible package.
Basics
Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino mix is a hot chocolate mix put out by Swiss Miss as part of their premium Indulgent Collection line. The box of hot cocoa packets is a pretty standard eight oz. box, containing eight one ounce packets of hot chocolate. Trading on the flavor of rich coffee-like mocha, as opposed to the usual milk chocolate, Swiss Miss created a deeper flavor for their hot chocolate drink. When hot water or milk is combined with the powder, it makes a pretty wonderful hot chocolate beverage, likely to become a favorite with coffee drinkers and cocoa consumers alike!
Ease of Preparation
Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino mix is very easy to prepare, as most hot chocolate products are. Because each packet in the box is a single serving, one need only have a mug large enough to accommodate the powdered mix and some water with a little room for mixing it around. Because the powder has some mass to it before it is dissolved, I recommend using an 8 oz. mug.
Preparation is simple; empty the contents of a single packet from the box of eight into an eight ounce mug. Bring a pot of water to a near-boil - the Mocha Cappuccino does not require boiling water, just very hot water. Boiling the water does not cook the powder, so if one does boil the water, there is no adverse consequence to the beverage. Once the water is hot, simply pour six fluid ounces of water over the powder and stir it up. It is simple to transform the powder into a delicious beverage.
Taste
The Mocha Cappuccino cocoa has a surprisingly light aroma. While the bouquet is very similar to a milk chocolate hot cocoa, it has a slight underscent of a darker chocolate or a coffee beverage. But those who have a strong scent memory will likely find the lighter chocolate scent to be inviting enough to want to sip the beverage.
The weak potential from the scent dissipates with that first sip. The Mocha Cappuccino cocoa is a rich, substantive beverage that tastes like a blend of dark chocolate hot cocoa and a good dark roast coffee. The taste starts off dry, but not harsh, with a slight sweetness to it that helps maintain the rich, chocolate flavor. The Mocha Cappuccino cocoa does have a slight dry aftertaste, but the beverage does not leave one feeling thirsty, which is pretty incredible.
Nutrition
Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino is a chocolately drink, so any expectation that this is a beverage that is going to meet a lot of one's daily needs is fairly unrealistic. Still, there are worse beverages out on the market. One serving - a single packet - has 110 calories, fifteen of which are from fat. With two grams of fat, this drink is not a great beverage choice for dieters, but it could be much, much worse. This Mocha Cappuccino hot cocoa has no cholesterol or any vitamin or mineral nutrients, outside calcium (which it has an impressive 30% of the RDA!), but it does have 160 mg of sodium. This is not a food to try to live off of.
It is hardly a surprise that Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino is not a nutritious food product considering that the primary ingredients are sugar, corn syrup, and modified whey. For those with allergies, it is noted on the package that the powder contains milk and there is no notation that this is gluten-free or kosher.
Storage/Clean-up
Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino mix is ridiculously easy to store and clean up. Because the packets are individual servings and self-contained, as long as one does not store the packets in a wet environment, they will last. My box of cocoa, purchased in early November 2011, has an expiration date in January 2013, but it is hard to imagine this would not last past the expiration date so long as the packets inside are kept cool and dry.
Cleaning up Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino mix is easy, as it is a powder which may be easily brushed up. If one spills it after it is mixed with water, it is highly likely to stain lighter fabrics and one ought to consult one's fabric guide for cleaning if that happens. Mugs, though, clean right out with hot water as this fluid does not stain ceramics.
Overall
Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino is an amazing hot cocoa that should be stocked up on by anyone who loves both hot chocolate and coffee!
For other Swiss Miss hot chocolate reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Indulgent Collection French Vanilla
Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa
Indulgent Collection Dark Chocolate Sensation
9/10
For other food reviews, please visit my index page!
© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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