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London's best hot chocolate | Best hot chocolate to takeaway

London best hot chocolate to make at home
La Maison du Chocolat
This prestigious French company’s founder inspired many of the new artisan chocolatiers working in London today. The ingredients list (maltodextrins, gum lac) is as daunting as the price, but the result is thick chocolate heaven.
£8.20 for 210g; www.lamaisonduchocolat.co.uk.

BEST WHITE CHOCOLATE DRINK
Montezuma’s Omocatl Quattro
A quality white chocolate drink, made purely from shavings of Montezuma’s house blend white chocolate. Use plenty or it will just taste like sweetened milk.
£11.20 for 600g; www.montezumas.co.uk.

Melt chocolate cubes
These solid chocolate cubes on a stick are made from single chocolate varieties: Venezuelan, Caribbean, Colombian and Madagascan. Stir into hot cream or milk until they dissolve.
£5-£7 per pack of four; www.meltchocolates.com.
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BEST MILK CHOCOLATE DRINK
Hot Choc Milk
Good, rich honeyed flavours for those who insist on milk chocolate. The tins hold buttons of pure Belgian chocolate. There is a decent dark version too.
£2.49 for 150g; John Lewis food hall, www.johnlewis.com.

Carluccio’s Cioccolata Fiorentina
A take-home version of the hot chocolate sold in Carluccio’s branches with detailed instructions for making, but we’ve never achieved the caffès’ high standard.
£4.80 for 250g; www.carluccios.com.

Whittard’s Ginger Hot Chocolate
The sweet, dry kick of ginger spice with a not-too-dark chocolate taste. For the best result, heap it into the mug. Whittard’s nine-box Chocolate Sins gift pack (£18) featuring this and various other flavours.
£4.50 for 400g; Whittard, www.whittard.co.uk.

Charbonnel et Walker
English classic from the Royal Warrant holders. A cocoa solids content of 51 per cent gives it a crowd-pleasing flavour. Mix it to a paste with hot water before whisking in hot milk.
£7.99 for 500g; Waitrose, www.waitrose.com.

BEST FLAVOURED CHOCOLATES
Cool Chile Company Mexican Drinking Chocolate
Semi-circular tablets of cocoa nibs flavoured with almonds and cinnamon (see left). A little gritty on the finish but the sweet cinnamon flavour is soothing. The ‘Mayan’ variety with annatto, allspice and ancho chile pepper is also available by the tin, but sells out quickly.
£4.50 for 250g; www.coolchile.co.uk.