Kids Cuisine

It was nice knowing you, really, but I’m here to tell you today that we have finally outgrown you.  Your high fructose corn syrup and the chemicals we can’t pronounce are just not welcome anymore.  We have dreams of better things, of better days ahead of us, and for that you are sentenced to banishment, never to return.

But what to stir into our milk to give it the chocolate flavor that reminds us of our childhood?  What do we grab in a pinch to drizzle over ice cream or that slice of cake that is just a touch on the dry side?  Oh, Familiar Brown Bottle, one would think that you had us, that you could reel us back in with just a glance, but the kitchen pantry has come to the rescue, and had we only known just how easy it was going to be to create an incredibly better version of what you hold inside, we would have shown you the door much, much sooner.

 Homemade Chocolate Syrup

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, and salt until no lumps of cocoa remain.  Whisk in the cold water (it will resist combining at first).  Turn on the heat to medium to medium high and bring to a boil, whisking pretty consistently.

Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat so that it is still boiling, but not in danger of boiling over — medium low worked well for me.  Continue cooking and stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture has appeared to thicken slightly.  Be careful not to overcook; this is a fairly thin syrup.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla.  Cool, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge.

Makes about 1 3/4 cups of chocolate syrup and will keep for several weeks refrigerated.