Christmas can always be a tricky and difficult time to think of what to give to co-workers and relatives. I've always wanted to try giving this out in years past and just have not been able to devote time to experiment on the mix. So this year, I made time and the result is a pretty awesome-flavored hot drink just right for these cold days and nights.
This really is comparable to the store-bought kind and much cheaper and fun to make. Aside from its fancy name, what is really is, and more commonly known to Filipinos, is "three-in-one" instant coffee.
The recipe below will yield about four 8 oz jars. Feel free to reduce the recipe in half or multiply to give away in individual jars. There are many recipes online for this, some are more bitter, and some sweeter. For me, this is the perfect balance.
Needed:
1 c instant coffee granules
3 c powdered non-dairy creamer, plain
1 1/2 c instant chocolate mix, rich cocoa flavor, no marshmallows
1 1/2 c white sugar
1 small box of vanilla pudding mix
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
How to make:
1. Make the coffee granules finer by grinding in a blender to "fine." This is required so that it blends better when mixed with the other ingredients and mixes well when stirred with hot water.
2. Transfer coffee to a big bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly with each ingredient added.
3. Transfer to an air tight jar. Decorate as appropriate for Christmas give-aways. Add a note to the jar saying, "Mix 2-3 T with 6 oz hot water." 6 oz water is about a regular coffee cup, not a mug.
Tip:
Make sure to try the mix yourself first to ensure the taste is to your liking. Adjust as needed.
Note that:
By using "rich" hot chocolate mix, the mixture is more bitter, thus the 1 1/2 cups of sugar. If you use regular hot chocolate, the end result may not be as bitter and you should cut down on the sugar.
You can also use French vanilla-flavored creamer and if you do, you should omit the vanilla pudding mix. This, too, has added sugar, so cut back on the sugar a little bit.
