DIY Chocolate Syrup

I check labels carefully before I purchase any food product, and I am not thrilled by what I see on most chocolate syrup or chocolate milk labels:

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Label

Nature's Touch Chocolate Milk Label

Once in a while, the kids like to have some chocolate milk, or some syrup drizzled on their ice cream or yogurt.  I have been avoiding purchasing any chocolate syrup, however, since most of them contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and other questionable ingredients.

That is why I prefer to make chocolate milk at home, rather than using the ready-made stuff.  By mixing my own with syrup, I can control how much sugar the kids are getting, plus it allows me to use good quality milk from pastured cows.

Kids love chocolate milk, so why not make it healthier?

I found a recipe for chocolate syrup in an old cookbook that is corn syrup free, and found that it turned out wonderfully.  The recipe calls for only five ingredients (and only takes about 20 minutes to make):

1. Cocoa Powder - Look for "dutch process" cocoa powder, as it has the best flavor.
2. Sugar - I used organic sucanat for this syrup since it is less processed, but regular granulated sugar will work fine.  If you use sucanat, there will be a slight hint of molasses flavor.
3. Salt - I like to use sea salt since it is less processed, but table salt will do.
4. Water
5. Vanilla extract

Chocolate Syrup (Printable Version)

Makes about 2 2/3 cups

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cups boiling water
1-1/3 cups cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1.  Bring a kettle of water to a boil (this is for the 1-1/3 cups boiling water listed in the ingredients).

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.

3.  Pour 1-1/3 cups boiling water into the saucepan.  Over medium heat, whisk the ingredients in the sauce pan until they are well combined.

4.  Continue heating on medium, stirring frequently, scraping the bottom and sides of pan, until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Cook until the mixture is smooth and thickened.

5.  Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.

6.  Allow the syrup to cool, and then pour it into a bottle or jar for storage.  This syrup will store for 3 months in the refrigerator.

--To use this syrup for chocolate milk, mix about 2 tablespoons (more or less to your taste) into a glass of cold milk.

--You can also use this syrup to make fudge sauce:

Quick Fudge Sauce:  In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup mix and 6 tablespoons of butter.  Cook and stir over low heat until smooth, thick, and shiny, 5 to 10 minutes.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups.


Sources:
Eliason, Karine, et al. More Make-A-Mix Cookery. Helen Fisher, 1980.